Stuck with IFS
I am writing to thank Fred Williams for doing a series on wheeling with an IFS truck ("Can you really wheel an IFS truck?" May '06). Many of us who wheel our daily drivers and need more utility than a Jeep may offer are "stuck" with IFS. While scoffed at on the trail, running IFS is necessary when the amount of time spent wheeling doesn't warrant the cost of a solid-axle conversion. These trucks can be made very capable with a few modifications. As a wheeler of a daily-driven IFS vehicle ('99 Toyota Tacoma on 35s), I can attest to the fact that they can be competent on the trail. I know the reason the truck (The Red Sled) in the article was picked. Cost and availability always drive our decisions. However, to be fair, I don't think it will provide a good comparison to an SFA vehicle because it is too big. You don't see many (although these is always an exception) trucks that large on the rocks (especially on the East Coast). I was just wondering why you all didn't choose something different, like a Toyota, as they can be made more capable easily. Or take a Ford Ranger with a coilover conversion kit for example. These are the types of trucks you often see on a trail. Moreover, these trucks can be built in your driveway (as mine was). In terms of strength, IFS can take a fair amount of abuse unlocked. Once you lock it, the halfshafts will break easily. My front is open, and I have a winch for when I need it. Anyway, thanks for taking the risk of actually testing IFS and giving it a chance. For moderate trail use, I think you will be happy. I want you to get an idea of how us IFS wheelers mod our trucks to make them trailworthy. I also have included a pic of my truck, and here is a list of my mods (the ones that count): '99 Toyota Tacoma V-6 TRD (factory rear electric locker), 6-inch Fabtech front lift with OME 881 coils (about 7 inches of lift), rear Alcan springs with AOR shackles and Bilstein 5150 12-inch travel shocks, 1-inch body lift from 4crawler.com, 35-inch BFG MTs on steel wheels, 4.88 Yukon gears, TJM front bumper with a MileMarker 8,000-pound winch, rock sliders from bentup.com, soon to have full skidplating from front bumper to transfer case from budbuilt.com, air compressor in crossbed toolbox, always carry two spare CVs, and all sorts of stuff.
Joseph P. Piombo
Port Jefferson Station, NY
Thanks for the pix, Joseph, as well as the real-world revelations you wrote about. If you remember, Fred Williams' other truck, Clampy the Toyota, was an IFS rig before he swapped in a junkyard Dana 60. We will continue exploring the IFS world as we are stuck with it pretty much like you are.
Cover Con?
On the cover of your May '06 issue, the header reads "Biodiesel: More Power and MPG." However, the article "Clean Diesel?" and accompanying sidebar, "Biodiesel: The Heartland Alternative," clearly state that biodiesel and ultra low sulfur diesel (ULSD) possess a lower energy content, about 1 percent lower. Although the article also states that reducing sulfur content increases the cetane rating, it does not go on to state what the cetane ratings of ULSD will be. Current offerings at the pump have a typical CN of 40-46, and the article states that the new ULSD will not come close to the European CN ratings in the mid-50 range. A reduction in performance, even by 1 percent, and a similar cetane rating combined with the new emissions control equipment mandated on future diesel vehicles do not seem to add up to the "more power and MPG" claim on the cover of the magazine. In fact, the article makes no claims that these two fuels, ULSD and biodiesel, will make more power or return greater mileage. I'm not trying to get a Petersen's plate out of you guys, I just want to know where the claim on the cover comes from.
Chris Donoghue
Hull, MA
Simple answer, really. The claim was supposed to be "Biodiesel: More Power and MPG?" However, the question mark was left off the final copy and we missed that mistake. Glad you are on your toes, as you were the only one that wrote us back about that fact. Thanks!
Idiot Lights
I have a question about my '98 Suburban, and my husband just can't quite give me an answer or solution that I'm happy with. On my dash, there is a light that says "check gages." No, I did not type that wrong. What I'm wondering is if the engineers at GM can't spell without their computers' spell check, is my Suburban the only one out there with a seriously stupid "idiot light," or am I too stupid to know that there is a part on my 'Burban that is called a "gage" instead of the "gauge" I'm assuming they meant. Is there an aftermarket part to fix "stupid"? Just wondering....
Ginger Esplin
Billings, MT
That's why they are called idiot lights in the first place. And no, you aren't seriously stupid; someone at GM has worse problems with checking their copy than we do!
Safety First
While I do minimal off-road driving, I appreciate your publication's technical and safety articles and comments regardless of brand of vehicle. At least your readers have an opportunity to understand their vehicles, their capabilities, and their safe operation in contrast to the hordes of urban yuppies/yuppettes who would not even know how to open the hood of their status-symbol glammobiles and expect an overload of passive "safety" devices and distracting beeps to save them from their ignorance and irresponsibility while they simultaneously speed (on improperly inflated tires), yap on cell phones, eat, and run red lights.
Kal Besenczky
Scottsdale, AZ
You should be here in L.A. while the cute yuppettes are applying makeup at 75 mph. Talk about scary. Now that's a distraction!