Tire Size Issues
Question: What's the biggest tire I can put on my '85 Blazer? I want to run 37s but I can't afford a big lift kit so I was thinking about a body lift. What's a broke boy to do?
Bobby S.
Clarksville, KY
Answer: Your Blazer is blessed with a solid front axle and is probably one of the most "normal" and easy to lift vehicles ever made. You can easily run a 33-inch-tall tire with no modification, while a 35 will mean you need to trim the fenders a bit up front, or just drive in a straight line. For the 37s you could go with a body lift of an inch or 2, but remember that even though a body lift is cheap, practical, fairly easy, but very time consuming, they do nothing to dampen the weight of the much larger and heavier 37-inch tires and wheels. The added weight of the bigger meats means that you really need a spring and shock combo that can control the added heft so that your ride is controlled, and neither choppy or mushy. Save your cash and do it right the first time, since you'll be doing it again in the long run if you go to bigger tires.
Tire Siping
Question: During my deployment in Iraq, we encountered some rain which made the few paved roads really slick. It reminded me of how my 35-inch mud tires at home like to slide all over the place on wet pavement. I've noticed that some other tire manufacturers have some siping on the tread blocks to improve traction on wet pavement. I understand that the sipes can sometimes pick up road debris or cause the tread blocks to tear off in chunks, so I can understand why many people would not want siping in their mud tires. What are some of the other drawbacks and some other benefits to having siping? Since my mud tires unfortunately spend most of their time rolling down paved roads, I'd like to have that additional traction aid. Is there a way to add siping to a tire myself?
1st Lt. Dan Cole
263rd Maintenance Company
U.S. Army
Northern Iraq
Answer: Siping is a great upgrade especially if you live in a place where there is a fair bit of rain. Siping is small cuts that not only add traction on the road, but also help the thicker tire lugs found on many mud tires to flex. I've even seen some rockcrawlers running siped tires for additional traction in big boulder fields. I would look around at your local tire shops and see if they will sipe your tires. Most shops will sipe used tires if they have the tools and the tires are not extremely worn. If you want to do your own siping or tire cutting, look into Ideal Heated Knives (248.437.1510). It is good for both grooving tires and siping, depending on the blade you use. Since you may not be able to get a heated knife in Iraq, try cutting the tires with a sharp knife, but don't cut more than about 1/4-inch deep from the top of the tread. Also most siping is often done across the tread, not around it
MPG Mudder
Question: I have a problem; I am 15 years old and want to start wheeling when I get my license in another year. I am hoping to make my first vehicle a Ford or Chevy pickup but I need something with good mileage. My dad offered to help pay the fuel in my vehicle but he doesn't think I should buy a 4x4. I need to find something that gets 17 to 20 mpg yet still allows me to go off road. What do you recommend that will satisfy my dad's desire for efficiency and my wish for a 4x4?
Sean B.
Coregory, MI
Answer: I was in a similar position once. My dad offered me a perfectly good Volkswagen Beetle that he was willing to pay the insurance on when I was 16. However, I had been reading 4-Wheel & Off-Road and never saw a Beetle in there so I was determined to get a Jeep. I think your dad has a valid point: Finding a fuel-efficient vehicle will result in more money in your pocket to modify your truck, take your girlfriend to the movies, and buy food and camping gear for a long weekend of four-wheeling. I would recommend either an early diesel 4x4 or a four-cylinder mini-truck like a Ranger, S-10, or Toyota. The diesel truck will probaby be a 3/4- or 1-ton with strong parts.
Also remember these rules for better mileage. Always keep your tires aired up and front hubs unlocked when on the road. Don't speed. Keep all the fluid levels topped off and routinely serviced. Don't carry extra stuff. Leave the Hi-Lift Jack, tool bag, chains, and extra stuff at home unless you're going wheeling. All that extra weight robs fuel. And when you come home from your wheeling trip be sure to clean as much mud and dirt from your ride as possible. It adds weight and robs mileage.
Fun FJ
Question: I own an '07 Toyota FJ Cruiser. I would like to know if there is a way to turn off the traction control when in two-wheel drive. I don't like the computer shutting down the throttle after both wheels start to spin.
Randy F.
via 4wheeloffroad.com
Answer: I hate all those electronic nannies that act like fun police, ruining all the smoky burnouts, drifting, and other juvenile antics that make driving fun. I understand some people don't know how to operate their vehicles, but I think it should be a choice for those of us that think we do. I spoke to the guys at All Pro Off Road (951.658.7077, www.allprooffroad.com), since they are doing a great business with FJ Cruiser products, and they have a simple modification that helps turn off the traction control. So give them a call.