Boy now you have seen the coverage of the Ultimate Adventure (Nov. and Dec. '07), and seen why it was a good idea for us to have some serious support vehicles in our midst. Our U.A. Rubi Wagon was certainly capable of managing itself on the trail, but we also needed to cart all the gear and people necessary to make a trip like this happen. Our Commanders were more than up to the task after we were done with them, transforming two grocery-getters into dual-duty workhorses that would see as much abuse as some people's trailer queens.
Last month, we added a 4-inch Superlift suspension and 33-inch BFGoodrich Mud-Terrains to Biggie, while Shortie got a more street-sensible setup utilizing a Daystar 2-inch boost and 31-inch BFGoodrich All-Terrains. This time around, we matched Biggie's exterior to our U.A. Rubi Wagon and added a Defender rack, Mopar rock rails, a Mopar GPS unit, and a Warn winch. Shortie's finish was a bit milder, with a Mopar grilleguard, Mopar rock rails, and a Defender rack. With their awesome traction-control systems, both Biggie and Shortie carried out their duties excellently and made the cast of Ultimate Adventure rethink the raction-control-versus-locker theory. We'd still opt for good old-fashioned mechanical locking differentials, but the high-tech traction-control of the Jeep Commanders are certainly making die-hard locker fans turn their heads.
If you get a chance, we'd suggest trying to talk your local Jeep dealership into letting you hit a little dirt during a testdrive of one of these Cherokee wannabes. What's been accomplished with electronic traction-control systems will amaze you.
Last month, we finished lifting...
Last month, we finished lifting both Commanders at Jeeps R Us. Shortie had a pretty mild lift and tire package, but Biggie really stood out. The Jeeps R Us guys were amazed at how well a Commander could look, especially after how much these die-hard CJ guys scoffed at our stock Commanders.
Once Biggie was OK to drive...
Once Biggie was OK to drive with the GCM installed, we headed over to Earl Scheib Paint & Body to get Biggie its paint job using a few gallons of olive drab paint from Rapco Parts. We have to admit, Biggie came out of the paint booth looking pretty cool.
One of the cooler things we...
One of the cooler things we added to Biggie was this Mopar-licensed Garmin navigation system that you can order online or from any Mopar/Jeep dealer. The unit wires into the top of the dash and comes with a snap-on base that mounts perfectly on the Commander's dash pad.
The Mopar navigation system...
The Mopar navigation system uses the 2GB National Map Data Card to give your precise location. The Garmin unit has five buttons that give you multiple functions, including showing recent destinations, voice commands, and finding places of interest like fueling stations.
With these impressive new...
With these impressive new traction-control systems come new problems to deal with when lifting a vehicle. Our 2-inch Daystar boost didn't send Shortie into fits, but Biggie's 4-inch Superlift kit made Biggie's ESP and traction-control systems go a bit haywire even when taking a mild right turn at an intersection. AEV Conversions has created a Geometry Correction Module (GCM) to address the issues. The Jeep's traction-control system with Quadra Drive works by using internal differential fluid pressure to stop the spinning wheel, while the ESP system will cut engine power and apply appropriate brakes if it feels the vehicle is in danger of losing control. AEV's GCM goes inline on the wiring harness, inside the steering column.
Both Commanders needed extra...
Both Commanders needed extra cargo storage, plus a place to put the spare tires, since even the 31-inch tire on Shortie would not fit in the stock spare-tire location. We called up Off Road Unlimited to get two of its new Defender racks that recently replaced the Con-Ferr line.