Submission Information
Send us a picture of your ride if you've never done so. We keep a surplus of Readers' Rides submissions, but only one submission per person, and we love all off-road vehicles so send in your entries whether your rig is stock or not. Make sure each digital image is at least 1600 x 1200 pixels (or two megapixels) and saved as a TIFF, EPS, or maximum-quality JPEG file.
Write to:
Readers' Rides
4-Wheel & Off-Road
6420 Wilshire Blvd.
Los Angeles
CA 90048-5515
fax 323.782.2704
Email to:
readersrides@4wheeloffroad.com
Vehicle (year, make, model)
Owner (name, city, state)
Tires & Wheels (size, make, model)
Suspension (lift, springs, shocks)
Drivetrain (tranny, transfer case, axles)
Performance (engine mods)
Other mods
Does it work the way you want?
Anything you would change?
Funniest Wheeling Incident
Anything to add?
Side Stepped
Vehicle: '99 GMC Sierra
Owner: Matt Widmann, Waterford, MI
Tires & Wheels: 35x12.50 SSRs on 16x8 American Eagle 589s
Suspension: 6-inch Superlift
Drivetrain: Stock
Performance Mods: 5.3L, Gibson exhaust, Hypertech programmer
Other Doodads: Custom MI and PA pinstriping
Does everything work the way you want?: Works well with the 35-inch tires, but kills the IFS as soon as you toss on any tire bigger
Anything you would change?: IFS delete
Hunter Orange
Vehicle: '01 Chevy Tracker
Owner: Jon Bell, Centerpoint, IN
Tires & Wheels: 37x14 Iroks on15x10 DC-1s
Suspension: Custom solid-axle conversion using YJ leaf packs
Drivetrain: Samurai 4:1 transfer case, Toyota mini-truck axles, Lincoln locker rear, 5.71 gears
Other Doodads: Toyota IFS steering box, custom sliders and bumpers, Warn XD9000i winch
Does everything work the way you want?: Absolutely
Anything you would change?: Will be adding a 'cage very soon and a front ARB Air Locker with Longfield axleshafts
Volcano Classic
Vehicle: '32 Chevy pickup/'85 GMC chassis
Owner: Peter Frost, Puna, HI
Tires & Wheels: 35-inch TSLs on 16-inch Mickey Thompsons
Suspension: Stock
Drivetrain: Stock
Performance Mods: 305ci
Does everything work the way you want?: Yes
Anything you would change?: Many, if only I had the money!
Anything to Add?: It's a sculpture I'll always be adding to and a street-legal farm truck.
Baja Bronco
Vehicle: '89 Ford Bronco II
Owner: Jay Dieterich, Audubon, PA
Tires & Wheels: 33x12.50 Baja Claw Radials on 15x10 Classic Iis
Suspension: James Duff 3-inch, stage-III
Drivetrain: Dana 35 front from a '91 Explorer, Warn hubs, Detroit Locker rear, 4.56 gears
Performance Mods: 2.9L, K&N air filter, Flowmaster exhaust
Other Doodads: Prerunner bumper, 2-inch body lift, James Duff rear driveshaft
Does everything work the way you want?: Yes! Being locked is great and the Dana 35 is much stronger than the original Dana 28
Anything you would change?: Bigger lift and 4.0L
Grappling Girl
Vehicle: '05 Land Rover LR3
Owner: Tami Sutherland, Grottoes, VA
Tires: 285/60/18 Nitto Terra Grapplers
Suspension: Stock
Drivetrain: Stock
Other Doodads: Rovertym winch bumper, Superwinch, Hella lights, snorkel
Funniest Wheeling Incident: Boys like to give me a hard time because I'm a girl. So anytime I can make a semi-difficult obstacle look easy, it's fun.
Does everything work the way you want?: The vehicle performs really well right off of the showroom floor
Anything you would change?: Looking for an easy way to add front and rear lockers
Anything to Add?: Silly boys, girls wheel too.
Parts Chaser
Vehicle: '87 Chevy Silverado
Owner: James Dunleavy, Athens, GA
Tires & Wheels: 37x12.50 SSRs on 16.5-inch steel
Suspension: Offroad Design rear shackle flip and HD front springs
Drivetrain: TH400, NP205, Dana 60 front with a Lock-Right and 35-spline shafts, 14-bolt rear with a Detroit Locker
Performance Mods: 454ci, Hedman headers, custom 3-inch exhaust
Other Doodads: Custom winch mount
Does everything work the way you want?: For now, still have more parts to put on
Anything you would change?: Add crossover steering and a MileMarker 12,000-pound winch
Saber Scout
Vehicle: '77 International Scout II
Owner: Andrew Potter, Ardmore, OK
Tires & Wheels: 31x12.50 Pro Comp Mud Terrains on 15x10 steel
Suspension: 2.5-inch Skyjacker, Rancho RS 9000 shocks
Drivetrain: 727, Dana 20, Dana 44 axles, 3.04 gears
Performance Mods: 345ci, Holley carburetor, V-force exhaust
Other Doodads: Air Lift rear airbags, custom front bumper, roof rack, and sliders, winch
Does everything work the way you want?: Absolutely
Anything you would change?: Lower gears and lockers
Anything to Add?: Nicknamed Yoda after the color and surprising power
Point & Peel
Vehicle: '07 Toyota FJ Cruiser
Owner: Mark Swenson, Salina, KS
Tires: Toyo Open Country Mud Terrains
Suspension: 3-inch Old Man Emu
Drivetrain: Factory rear locker
Performance Mods: K&N cold air intake, TRD exhaust
Other Doodads: Warn front and rear bumpers and Powerplant winch, ARB sliders and skidplates
Does everything work the way you want?: Of course it does
Anything to Add?: Photo taken at Pikes Peak
BC-350
Vehicle: '99 Ford F-350
Owner: Michael Beaudoin, Quesnel, B.C., Canada
Tires & Wheels: 39.5-inch Iroks on 16x10 Outlaw Iis
Suspension: 6-inch Icon with Fabtech shocks
Drivetrain: Manual six-speed, '03 Ford Dana 60 with a Dynatrac Free-Spin kit and ARB Air Locker, 4.88 gears
Performance Mods: 7.3L, T.Wildman electronics, AFE intake, MBRP 4-inch turbo back exhaust
Other Doodads: Off Road Tech bumpers, Bushwacker flares
Does everything work the way you want?: Yes
Anything you would change?: 42-inch tires, Atlas, and shorten the wheelbase
Anything to Add?: Fullsize trucks rock!
Budget Mini
Vehicle: '84 Toyota mini-truck
Owner: Philip Baird, Colcord, OK
Tires: 36x14.50 TSLs
Suspension: 4-inch Rough Country
Drivetrain: Stock
Performance Mods: 22R
Other Doodads: Bobbed bed 17.5 inches, custom front bumper, quick-release doors
Does everything work the way you want?: No problems yet!
Anything you would change?: V-6, bigger tires, and lockers all coming soon
Anything to Add?: It's a simple low-budget project and I'm hoping to keep it that way.
XJR
Vehicle: '87 Jeep Wrangler
Owner: J.R. Harrison, Sheppard, TX
Tires & Wheels: 35x12.50 BFG M-Ts on TJ Canyons with 1.5-inch spacers
Suspension: Custom 5.5-inch
Drivetrain: AW4, NP242 with a Tom Woods slip-yoke eliminator and driveshaft, Dana 30, Alloy axleshafts, Dana 44, ARB Air Lockers, 4.56 gears
Performance Mods: 4.0L, K&N air filter, Flowmaster muffler
Other Doodads: PSC power-steering pump, AJ's Off Road bumpers and sliders, TNT Customs skidplate, Warn winch
Does everything work the way you want?: Yes
Anything you would change?: 37-inch tires