Submission Information
Confused? Email your questions about trucks, 4x4s, and off-roading tech using "Nuts, I'm confused" as the subject and include a picture (if it's applicable). Digital photos must measure no less than 1600 x 1200 pixels (or two megapixels) and be saved as a TIFF, an EPS, or a maximum-quality JPEG file. Also, I'll be checking the forums on our website (www.4wheeloffroad.com), and if I see a question that I think more of you might want to have answered, I'll print that as well. Otherwise drop it old-school style with the envelope addressed to the address below. Letters published in this magazine reflect the opinions of the writers, and we reserve the right to edit letters for clarity, brevity, or other purposes.
Write to:
Nuts & Bolts
4-Wheel & Off-Road
6420 Wilshire Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90048-5515
fax 323.782.2704.
Email to:
nuts@4wheeloffroad.com
Lost In Lug-Town
Question: I own an '86 Chevy K20 that I bought from a guy who put the wrong lug nuts on it. On page 36 of your Nov. '08 issue is a picture of some lug nuts, and the second one from the left looks almost exactly like what I need. The wheels on my truck are referred to as hurricanes--they look like the wheels off the car in Dukes of Hazzard. Any help in this matter would be greatly appreciated.
Nancy S.
via 4wheeloffroad.com
Answer: Those lug nuts are commonly referred to as standard mag wheel lug nuts. That style wheel you have is known as turbine. Gorilla Automotive (323.585.2852, www.gorilla-auto.com) or Custom Wheel Accessories (800.222.4292, www.xtreemproducts.com) sells them, but you may need to find either a specialty tire store, or an old-time tire store depending on what size wheel studs you are using, and how thick the wheel is. I installed some on a 1-ton axle and the only local shop that had the correct lug nuts had them in 9/16-inch, so I was required to change all my wheel studs up from 1/2-inch just to run those wheels. Be sure to use the proper mag lug washers and plenty of antisieze when installing them. Personally I wouldn't recommend these style wheels if you can find another style, as they are difficult to install.
First 4-by
Question: I'm 15. I'm sure you remember dreaming of your first truck, and that's exactly what I'm doing. I'll be turning 16 soon, and I'm trying to decide which kind to get. I am a Chevrolet guy, and I was thinking about something a little smaller and cheaper, such as the S-10. Also, I've been looking at Toyota Tacomas and the Ford Ranger. I would like to have four-wheel drive because it snows here a lot and because my friends and I hunt and fish and mess around in the mud a lot. I have to work with a 15-year-old's budget. My parents are the kind that won't buy me a truck because they say I won't take care of it as well as I would if I bought it. Any suggestions?
Michael B.
via 4wheeloffroad.com
Answer: Your parents are right. You should buy your own 4x4. I bought mine by saving up, and even though it was a rust bucket that was never really safe to be in on the highway, I sure did learn a lot wrenching on it. I have never owned an S-10 myself, but they are great vehicles. But as with any model, there are good and bad versions, and I would definitely get the 4.3L V-6 if I were getting an S-10. The Ranger and Tacoma are both good options, but Tacomas usually hold their value longer, so it would be more expensive for you to purchase one used. Any of these trucks can be built for extreme wheeling. The Toyota and Ford have more performance suspension parts available than the S-10, but the reasonable cost of a used S-10 would make it a great first 4x4 for you.
Jeep Gears
Question: I have an '05 TJ Rubicon with a 3.5-inch long-arm suspension and 33x12.5 tires. The transfer case just decided to suicide-bomb itself, the driveshaft, and rear yoke while driving down the road.Now that I must replace things, what transfer case would be a stronger unit, or is the NP241 just fine?
The Jeep is my daily driver that needs to go off-road on the weekends totake a bath in the dirt and mud.I like the Atlas II but what gearing?Ienjoydoing the work on my own, until I get in over my head. Is a transfer-case install homegrown or shop-prone?What else should I look to replace in the name of strength and durability?
Smokey D.
via 4wheeloffroad.com
Answer: In my opinion the Atlas from Advance Adapters is a stronger transfer case than the NP/NVG 241OR in your Rubicon, but then again your case does have some redeeming qualities. Check out the 231 buildup we did last issue for some upgrades ("Building a Better Box," May '09), though most of them do not apply to your Rubicon case.
I would say that swapping in another 241 would be no problem for the at-home mechanic. The Atlas will take some more work--it's still possible to do it--but you will also need to purchase driveshafts and deal with the new shifter linkage.
That being said, my vote is for the Atlas if you are already breaking the Rubicon 241.
General's Gears
Question: I have recently acquired a Ford reverse-rotation Dana 60, and I am not sure what route to take. I would like to put it in my '85 Chevy pickup. My truck has an SM465. What is the best way to put a driver-side transfer case in my truck? I have vast resources of used parts. Can I somehow put a transfer case out of a newer truck in, ordo I need a Ford NP205 and an adapter kitfrom Off-Road Design?
Alex R.
via 4wheeloffroad.com
Answer: Look for an SM465 transmission and the Aluminum NVG241 transfer case out of an '88-'98 GM truck. This will have a driver-side front output and will bolt up to your engine. Unfortunately it uses a different output than your current SM465, so you will need to swap the transmission as well as the transfer case. Shop around, but you may find that the Ford NP205 with the Off-Road Design adapter is cheaper and stronger in the long run.