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?
Beach Burb
Vehicle: '86 Chevy Suburban
Owner: Dallas Hogge, VA
Tires & Wheels: 32x11.50 BFG A-Ts on stock 15-inch wheels
Suspension: Custom 3-inch
Drivetrain: 700R4, NP205
Performance Mods: 350ci, Flowmaster exhaust
Other Doodads: KC lights and light bar
Does everything work the way you want?: Yes
Anything you would change?: 6-inch lift, 35-inch tires, and 3/4-ton axle swap
Low Runner
Vehicle: '85 Toyota 4Runner
Owner: Erik Forberg, Ione, CA
Tires & Wheels: 39.5x13.50 Iroks on 15x10 steel wheels
Suspension: Toyota rear leaf springs in the front, 63-inch Chevy rear springs, Bilstein shocks
Drivetrain: W56, Toyota crawl box, OTT Dana 300 adapter with 4:1 gears, Dana 44 front with alloy shafts, CTM U-joints and 5.38 gears, 9-inch rear with 5.43 gears, Detroit Lockers
Performance Mods: 22RE, Doug Thorley header
Other Doodads: 19-gallon fuel tank, flat-belly skids, hydraulic assist, custom bumpers and tire carrier, Tacoma grille, Optima batteries
Does everything work the way you want?: Yes
Anything to add?: It's an extremely low setup for a 4Runner on 39-inch tires. The roof line is only 77 inches.
Clean Slade
Vehicle: '03 Toyota Tacoma
Owner: Rob Slade, Wake Forest, NC
Tires & Wheels: 285/75/16 Goodyear Wranglers on 16x8 American Racing wheels
Suspension: 3-inch Revtek in the front with 2.5-inch Fabtech add-a-leaves in the rear, Bilstein shocks
Drivetrain: TRD rear locker
Performance Mods: 3.4L, K&N intake, Flowmaster exhaust
Other Doodads: Demello sliders, WAAG brushguard, HID headlight conversion, PIAA lights
Does everything work the way you want?: Yes. The rear locker works great.
Anything you would change?: The truck could use a little more lift.
Complete K
Vehicle: '79 Chevy K-30
Owner: Christian Uthe, Wellsville, MO
Tires & Wheels: 36x12.50 Goodyear Military Issue Wranglers on stock 16.5-inch dually wheels with 2-inch rear wheel spacers
Suspension: 2.5-inch Pro Comp front springs with an add-a-leaf in the rear
Drivetrain: SM465, NP205, Dana 60 front, Dana 70 rear with a Detroit Locker, 4.56 gears
Performance Mods: 350ci, Comp cam, Holley Intake, Edelbrock Performer carburetor, Hooker Headers
Other Doodads: Custom flatbed
Funniest Wheeling Incident: Snapping a rear axleshaft while pulling a tractor.
Does everything work the way you want?: Yes
Anything you would change?: A 600hp big-block would be nice
Anything to add?: This truck hauls loads, does truck pulls, and wheels, and is a great daily driver.
Nova TJ
Vehicle: '00 Jeep Wrangler
Owner: Mike Wetzel, Nova Scotia
Tires: 35x12.50 Pro Comp Xterrains
Suspension: 5.5-inch Rock Krawler long-arm
Drivetrain: Advance Adapters slip-yoke eliminator, Tom Wood's driveshafts, Dana 30 front with a Auburn E-locker, Dana 44 rear with a spool, 4.88 gears
Performance Mods: Stock
Other Doodads: Safari Snorkel, Alumi-Flex tie-rod, Warn winch, custom rear bumper
Does everything work the way you want?: Yes
Anything to add?: I've been reading 4WOR since the days when you guys only wrote about monster trucks and fullsize pickups with 16 shocks!
Camper Special
Vehicle: '73 GMC
Owner: Henry Meehan, Beaufort, SC
Tires & Wheels: 35x12.50 BFG A-Ts on 15x10 Alcoa wheels
Suspension: 4-inch Rough Country
Drivetrain: Rear Aussie Locker
Performance Mods: Dual exhaust with Cherry Bombs
Other Doodads: Slide-in camper, onboard generator and air compressor
Does everything work the way you want?: Yes
Anything to add?: I am 50 years old and purchased my first 4x in '76, a '57 Willy's wagon. I have been read ing your magazine ever since I picked up my first copy years ago. Thanks for keeping up the good work.
Jackhammer
Vehicle: '00 Dodge Ram 1500
Owner: Jared Hammers, Wrightsville, PA
Tires & Wheels: 37x13 Boggers on 15x10 Centerline wheels
Suspension: 5-inch Skyjacker
Drivetrain: Stock
Performance Mods: Long-tube headers, 3-inch exhaust, Hypertech programmer, cold-air intake
Other Doodads: 3-inch body lift, custom front bumpers, Bushwacker fender flares
Does everything work the way you want?: For the most part
Anything you would change?: Needs a winch and two more inches of lift.
Red Tech
Vehicle: '99 Chevy 1500 Z71
Owner: Greg Durick, Suffolk, VA
Tires & Wheels: 325/80/16 Fun Country Radials on 16x10 American Racing
Suspension: 6-inch Fabtech
Drivetrain: 4.56 gears
Performance Mods: V-8, Flowmaster exhaust
Other Doodads: 3-inch body lift
Does everything work the way you want?: Yes
Anything you would change?: Straight-axle conversion, lockers, and 39-inch tires
Rice Krispy XJ
Vehicle: '98 Jeep Cherokee
Owner: Randy Heckler, Blacksburg, VA
Tires & Wheels: 35x12.50 BFG M-Ts on 15x8 wheels
Suspension: Custom 6-inch
Drivetrain: AW4, NP231, Dana 44 front, 8.25 rear, Lock Rights, 4.56 gears
Performance Mods: 4.0L
Other Doodads: Interior cage, transfer case skidplate
Does everything work the way you want?: Aside from the creaking, cracking, and popping of the unit-body, yes
Anything you would change?: More unit-body bracing and hydraulic assist.
Is Zu?
Vehicle: '98 Isuzu Rodeo
Owner: Tom Wood, Provo, UT
Tires: 33x10.50 BFG A-Ts
Suspension: Custom 3.5-inch, Old Man Emu 919 springs, Skyjacker shocks
Drivetrain: Front locker with manual hubs, Dana 44 rear with a limited slip differential
Performance Mods: K&N intake, Cherry Bomb glass pack
Other Doodads: 3-inch Performance Accessories body lift
Does everything work the way you want?: Who's ever really satisfied?
Anything you would change?: Still working on raising the gas tank and a custom rear three-link.
Head On
Vehicle: '98 Toyota Tacoma
Owner: Ash Murrin, Auburn, CA
Tires: 38-inch Toyo Mud Terrains
Suspension: Custom straight-axle conversion via a three-link and 7.5-inch Rubicon Express coils
Drivetrain: High-pinion Dana 44 front, Dana 60 rear with a spool, 5.38 gears
Performance Mods: 2.7L, Magnaflow muffler
Funniest Wheeling Incident: Figuring out that IFS is junk and having to be dragged out of the Fordyce trail by a Jeep!
Does everything work the way you want?: Not yet
Anything you would change?: Doubler box coming soon!
Anything to add?: 4WOR rocks!