Hot Shot
Ultimate Overdrive
Vehicle: 1979 Jeep CJ-7
Owner: Jesse Honl, Gaylord, MN
Tires & Wheels: 42-inch Pit Bull Rockers on custom beadlocks
Suspension: Spring-over axle with 31⁄2-inch Jeep Cherokee XJ lift springs
Drivetrain: TH350, 5:1 STaK transfer case, Dana 60 front with a Detroit Locker, 14-bolt rear with welded spider gears, 5.13 gears
Performance Mods: 350ci, propane injection
Other Doodads: Warn winch, High Angle drivelines, custom hand controls
Does everything work the way you want?: Yes
Anything to add?: I have a spinal cord injury so my Jeep was converted to drive entirely with hand controls. This photo was taken on Petersen’s UA Alley at the Gilbert OHV Park.

In 2003 Toyota offered its 4Runner with a 4.7L V-8, and when we tested it in our 4x4 of the Year it was trumped by only one contestant, the Lexus with the same engine. Eventually Toyota dropped the V-8 from the 4Runner and returned to the potent 4.0L V-6, but there is something about having a V-8 in your small sport/ute that really gets us going. The Jeep Grand Cherokee is a great example, as is the Dodge Durango.

Modern 3⁄4- and 1-ton trucks are more deluxe than ever. It’s hard to even call many of the primo models with heated seats, wood trim, and satellite navigation “work beaters” when most are more decked out than so-called luxury sedans. Still, many Americans use their pickups for what they were intended for, and some even find time to enjoy the fullsize behemoths off-road.

Oh Buddy!
While driving on a trail in Ocala, Florida, we came across what we thought was a good spot to test the Jeep’s new suspension. As soon as we dropped in, the CJ nearly rolled over. Luckily, my buddies were able to save it from taking a flop!
Robert Wasilewski
Via whoops@ 4wheeloffroad.com

PSC Steering Columns
The universal steering column kits from PSC Motorsports were created with custom buggy builders in mind. All of the steel and aluminum column kits are available in multiple lengths, with a hex or splined steering wheel disconnect, and can be fitted with PSC’s adjustable column mounting kit. Each unit is also fitted with Delrin bearings to handle harsh off-road environments.
Information: PSC Motorsports
817.270.0102
www.pscmotorsports.com.

Toyota recently let us borrow a 2012 Toyota Tacoma TRD T/X with the new Baja Series package for a few days worth of evaluation. The vehicle we had was a prototype since production has only recently ramped up for release, but the engineers told us the spring rates and shock valving is the same as production. As you might have guessed by the mile-long name, the Tacoma Baja is based on a Tacoma TRD T/X, and that configuration must be in place before adding the unique Baja Series items. The Tacoma must also be a 4x4 with either an Access or Double Cab body style. Finally, you have a choice of a six-speed manual or a five-speed automatic transmission. Cool.

It started with 12 guys in their trail rigs racing up and down the Hammer trails in Johnson Valley, and now six year later it has grown into a giant spectacle in the desert of Southern California. This year 135 teams competed for the crown as King of the Hammers 2012.

Jeep Dealers Get Brute
American Expedition Vehicles (AEV) will offer the Brute, a double-cab pickup conversion based on the Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon, to Jeep dealers as a turnkey, ready-to-sell vehicle. The Brute was on display at the recent National Automobile Dealers Association convention in Las Vegas. No price was announced, but according to Automotive News you can expect the sticker to be in the $65,000-$95,000 range, depending on options.

Toyota Mag?
I just picked up the magazine 4x4 Garage Presents Toyota, dated winter 2011. Your web page was listed in bold in the masthead. At the top of the masthead it says “Toyota Special.” The cover seems to imply it is a Toyota enthusiasts publication, while the inside cover seems to indicate it is a one-off issue. Did I stumble upon a magazine I will subscribe to, or did I get lucky to find an issue that my love of 4Runners and FJ Cruisers will enjoy for a few weeks? If it is only a single issue, I think with five generations of 4Runners, two generations of Tundras and Tacomas, several generations of Land Cruisers, and the FJ, a dedicated Toyota 4x4 magazine would be awesome. I would like your company to consider the idea.
Shawn Elletson
San Antonio, TX

What do you get when you mix tractor tires, a late-model V-8, and a lightweight Jeep Wrangler YJ? Well, if you are Manley Jones you get a weekend wheeler that takes the idea of a big toy to another level. On location at a recent mud event in the Southeast we spotted Manley’s Monster blasting through the water-soaked trails and clay pits. After seeing the mega Jeep in action we decided to head over and get a closer look.

There’s nothing quite like wheeling all day. That’s probably why you read this mag and I have this job. Yes, fabrication and obstacle conquering, along with a healthy dose of competition and trail riding, are among the reasons we use our 4x4s, but the bottom line is we love to wheel. So far this year I’ve done well on my resolution to wheel at least once a month. In fact, I’m up to three this month simply because a good spot is on the way to where I was going, and it all just works out like it should.

Building your own trail rig is a fun and exciting endeavor that for many evolves into a valuable learning experience and a family pastime. We understand how easy it is for those new to the world of off-roading to get caught up and overwhelmed with all of the aftermarket parts, endless build paths, and Internet chatter. We’ve always stood by the notion that learning to drive your rig and knowing its basic limits is much more valuable than any upgrade component you can bolt on. As you spend more time in the seat you learn what your rig needs, lacks, and can live without.

If you’re like us you started reading 4x4 magazines before you ever owned a 4x4. We remember drooling over Armstrong tires, triple shocks, and winches ready to rescue us before our driving permits ever arrived in the mail. When we finally scraped together the nickels to buy our first 4x4 it was a project that barely ran—and when it did run it wouldn’t stop—yet we were blurry-eyed with dreams of vertical rockcrawls, mega-deep mud pits, and trophy truck–style high-speed insanity. We didn’t have that 4x4 very long when we realized we needed more than just dreams. We needed tools. But unlike that 4x4 that lived and died years ago, those tools have stayed with us.

The Ultimate K10 rebirth looked straightforward on paper: Replace drivetrain parts that were lifted for other projects, replace the body panels with affordable repro parts, squirt on some paint, add a seat and some armor, and hit the trail. The two biggest barriers to success were taken for granted: fuel and fire. Because we wanted to get the previous gas tank out of the bed, we knew that the fuel system would need attention. But getting power to the fuel pump became an electrical rat’s nest that GM Truck Center decided was easier to fix by completely rewiring the truck rather than trying to troubleshoot all of the rodent-gnawed and “midnight auto supply” snipped wires.

Civil War
Remember to pick your off-road battles wisely. Even with an LS1 under the hood and 40-inch Swampers, my Jeep was no match for this mud pit.
Name withheld
Via whoops@4wheeloffroad.com

Old Is Awesome
I am about to go to the bank and discuss buying a new truck, and what will I come home with? A fancy new truck, with A/C, a gazillion-channel radio, ’lectric butt-adjusting seats and window upper-downers, and a reliable engine that I can’t afford to drive because I have to pay some outlandish bill each month to purchase and insure my new truck. Sounds great! And what if I should take said pretty new 4x4 off-road and dent or ding it up. How is that going to make me look and feel? Like an idiot.

For decades motorsport competitions have bled new technology into the factory and aftermarket sectors, and tires are no exception. A great example of this can be seen with the Baja Claw TTC Radial from Mickey Thompson. The Baja Claw has been in the MT stable for years, but the TTC version of the tire is fairly new. So what’s so special about the TTC Claw? And what is TTC anyhow?

An object in motion tends to stay in motion, and the more mass the object has the more it tends to stay in motion. This is why we upgraded the flywheel on a four-cylinder Jeep YJ Wrangler with a heavier one, to help keep it spinning.

Brake Debate?
Q In some of the pictures of trucks, on the axle by the differentials is something that looks like a disc brake. What is that called, and what is the purpose of it?
Brian A.
Via nuts@4wheeloffroad.com

There’s a certain school of thought that if something can be made, it can always be made better. The 4x4 hobby pretty much lives by that philosophy. From long-travel suspension systems to plug-and-play engine tuners, it’s our way of telling the OEMs thanks for the hard work, but we’ll take it from here. Understandably the factory has more restrictions than the aftermarket.

Whether it’s that one bracket that fits perfectly in place or a wild idea that turns out to be the right one, small victories can make working on a project vehicle much more enjoyable. Likely one of the most rewarding moments on any project vehicle is the first drive. This month we focused on getting our ’97 Ford Ranger project vehicle moving under its own power. This meant finishing up the solid-axle conversion we started on last month and getting our new drivelines bolted in place.

The Southwest corner of our great nation has some of the most incredible four-wheeling. That would be a brag if it weren’t fact. But another fact is that the anti-access crowd has been hammering our government agencies to limit what you and I can do on our public lands. They are closing existing trails, banning certain uses, and severely limiting our choices of recreation. And while good environmental stewardship is always an important factor of our sport, someone has to step up and carry the torch for land access and for the multiple uses that favor the 4x4 crowd.

Massive Military Moxie
I just got my Mar. ’12 issue, and on page 72 there is a photo of (I think) an M715 Jeep truck in the upper left corner with a guy in sandals standing on the front bumper. Anyway, I’m looking to make a front bumper for my ’89 F-350 Diesel out of a big beefy C-channel, and I was wondering if there were any more pictures of this truck. The shackles on this bumper are intriguing. Any info you can give would be awesome. Thanks for a great magazine, you give me hope that someday my project truck will get done.
Brian
Southwick, MA

Heated leather seats, dual climate control, woodgrain dash, solid axles, coil suspension, four doors, and navigation. At first glance you would think that we were describing a new JK, but we’re not. When Kyle O’Brien set out to build a new luxury wheeler he wanted a vehicle with all of these comforts plus the power and reliability of a factory V-8 engine. The choice was clear. Kyle picked up a new-to-him ’04 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland.

For those of you who missed it, and for those of you who dissed it, our 2011 4x4 of the Year winner wrapup is here. That’s right, the lowdown and real skinny on the Land Rover LR4 HSE, one of our most expensive winners. But then again, what do you get for that $65,000 price tag? That’s what we wondered. After picking it as our choice and wheeling it for a year, we have the answer right here for your perusal.