Long Strides
Vehicle: '86 Ford Bronco II
Owner: Shay Stepp, Barstow, CA
Tires: 35x12.50 BFG M-Ts
Suspension: Custom 5.5-inch via early Bronco coils, Skyjacker leafs, Fox shocks
Drivetrain: A4LD, BW1350 with doubler, full-width Dana 44 front and 8.8-inch rear, 4.88 gears
Performance Mods: Stock
Other Doodads: Custom bumpers and sliders
Does everything work the way you want?: No complaints!
Anything you would change?: 5.13 gears and longer control arms
Super Size
Vehicle: '01 Ford F-150
Owner: Robert Eacker, Penrose, CO
Tires & Wheels: 39.5-inch Boggers on Copperhead beadlocks
Suspension: Custom solid-axle conversion up front via 14-inch Sway-a-Way coilovers and radius arms, 5-inch Skyjacker rear springs
Drivetrain: NP203/205 Doubler, Dana 44 front, 9-inch rear, Detroit Lockers, 4.56 gears
Performance Mods: 5.4L, headers, 3-inch exhaust, K&N intake
Other Doodads: Optima battery, Warn winch, Road Armor front bumper, Defender rack, custom sliders and bed cage
Does everything work the way you want?: Getting there
Anything you would change?: It could use hydraulic assist
Greener Grass
Vehicle: '72 Jeep CJ-5
Owner: Will Corbett, Grass Valley, CA
Tires & Wheels: 36x13.50 Iroks on 15x10 steel wheels
Suspension: Custom spring-over axle with Rubicon Express springs and Rancho shocks
Drivetrain: T-18, Dana 300 with Tera 4:1 kit, custom-built Dana 44 front and Dana 60 rear, ARB Air Lockers, 5.38 gears
Performance Mods: Buick V-6, Flowmaster exhaust
Other Doodads: 4WD Hardware fiberglass body, wheelbase stretched 16 inches, Power Tank, custom bumpers and cage, PSC steering
Does everything work the way you want?: Yes
General Crusher
Vehicle: '74 AM General M109A3 6x6
Owner: Travis Chapman, Duncan, SC
Tires & Wheels: 16.00-20 Michelin XZLs on HEMMT wheels
Suspension: 6-inch front lift springs, 6-inch rear blocks with traction bars
Drivetrain: 3053 Spicer five-speed, air-shift Rockwell 136-27 transfer case, 21/2-ton Rockwell axles, Ouverson hubs and lockers, 6.72 gears
Performance Mods: Turbocharged Inline diesel
Other Doodads: Bobbed bed and frame, rear axle delete, M105 bed, PSC full hydraulic steering
Does everything work the way you want?: So far, yes
Anything you would change?: Needs more power, Cummins 6BTTA, NV4500, and upgrade to Ouverson shafts
Mud U
Vehicle: '78 Ford Ranger
Owner: Levi Gore, Stephens City, VA
Tires & Wheels: 35-inch Mud Grapplers on 15x10 wheels
Suspension: Stock
Drivetrain: Stock
Performance Mods: 390ci, headers, Flowmaster mufflers
Other Doodads: Borgeson steering shaft, 3-inch body lift
Funniest Wheeling Incident: Breaking a sector shaft and burning up the fuel pump 3 miles into a 6-mile trail. We spent six hours working on the truck on the side of the mountain at night, in the pouring rain, but finally managed to get it out.
Does everything work the way you want?: Yes, for now
Anything you would change?: Rebuild the engine, bigger tires, and more lift
Anything to add?: Only 1,000 bucks invested so far in the truck and parts. It's the most fun a bunch of college kids could have while getting an education!
Year Exempt
Vehicle: Toyota
Owner: Mike Ebert, Las Vegas, NV
Tires & Wheels: 36-inch SXs on 15x10 Allied beadlocks
Suspension: 4-inch All Pro front leaves, Desert Runner Fabrication four-link rear with Johnny Joints and Sway-A-Way 2.0 air shocks
Drivetrain: Marlin Crawler box, 8-inch Toyota axles, Detroit Locker front, spool rear, 5.29 gears
Performance Mods: 22R, propane injected
Other Doodads: Custom 'cage, chassis, and skids; All-Pro Hy-Steer; PSC steering pump; Mile Marker winch
Does everything work the way you want?: Yes
Anything you would change?: More cam, three-link front suspension, 37s
Anything to add?: Thanks to Jack and Desert Runner Fabrication
Over 5
Vehicle: '67 Jeep CJ-5
Owner: Steve Pugh, Whitby, Ontario, Canada
Tires & Wheels: 35x12.50 Baja Claws on 15x10 steel wheels
Suspension: Custom 3-inch with air shocks
Drivetrain: T-18, Dana 27 front, Dana 44 rear
Performance Mods: Buick V-6
Other Doodads: Electric fan, Warn winch
Does everything work the way you want?: Yes
Anything you would change?: Power steering and a Saturn overdrive
Salty Seats
Vehicle: '03 GMC Sonoma
Owner: Tyler Hensly, Salt Lake City, UT
Tires & Wheels: 315/70/17 BFG A-Ts on H2 wheels
Suspension: Custom multilink with coilovers up front and coils in the rear
Drivetrain: NP231 mated to a NP205, Dana 44 front, 14-bolt rear, 4.11 gears
Performance Mods: 4.3L
Other Doodads: Customs bumpers, sliders, and rollbar, hydraulic assist
Does everything work the way you want?: I have no complaints
Anything you would change?: Wish I had the leather seats
The Tie That Bogs
Vehicle: '86 Chevy
Owner: Joseph Myers, Shaftsbury, VT
Tires & Wheels: 42x15 TSLs on 15-inch steel wheels
Suspension: 12-inch Superlift
Drivetrain: 4.10 gears
Performance Mods: 400ci, Flowmaster mufflers
Other Doodads: 3-inch body lift, custom front bumper, 12,000-pound winch
Does everything work the way you want?: So far so good
Anything you would change?: Bigger tires, better shocks, and lockers
Anything to add?: Thanks to all that helped to get my truck to this point
US Patrol
Vehicle: '69 Nissan Patrol
Owner: Zackery Gant, San Antonio, TX
Tires: 32x11.50 TSL SXs (not pictured)
Suspension: Stock Drivetrain: Stock
Performance Mods: Weber carburetor
Does everything work the way you want?: Works great as a daily driver and weekend wheeler
Anything you would change?: Paint and Alcan springs
Flat Red
Vehicle: '50 Willys CJ-3A
Owner: Brian Neil, Spokane, WA
Tires & Wheels: 32x9.50 TSLs on 15x7 CJ-5 wheels
Suspension: Holbrook springs
Drivetrain: T-90, Dana 30 front, Dana 44 rear, Lock-Rights, 5.38 gears
Performance Mods: 225ci
Other Doodads: Warn 8274 winch, CJ-5 gas tank, Flex-a-lite electric pusher fan
Does everything work the way you want?: Yes
Anything you would change?: Swap out the transmission for a stronger unit
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, 831 S. Douglas St., El Segundo, CA 90245, 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?