The Desert Defenders 4WD team aided by the army is putting on a one-day scenic tour of Defence Force land March 12 to aid Christchurch. It's mostly for shiny vehicles, but the organisers say there will be "opportunities for those who want to play a little". The trip starts with an 8:30am briefing and will be on the Moawhango Dam side of SH1 with lunch "out the back in the Kaimanawas somewhere". Cost is $100 per vehicle and driver; each additional passenger $15. The organisers say notice is short, but this is the only date the area is free, "and we feel this is a way that we can contribute to helping Christchurch people as quickly as possible". Contact Craig or Kandy Mott promptly on 0-6-385 8090 or 021 744 573.
February 25, 2011
February 23, 2011
Jeeps are built, not bought – making an 85% truck
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| Grrr.... stuck again. Something is going to have to be done. |
The man videoing trucks attempting to scramble from a narrow, loose trail and over a near vertical bank turns out to be one of four-wheeling’s mileage millionaires. He’s been on tracks and trails for four decades and knows a good truck when he sees one. Right now, he’s filming an off-road version of slapstick comedy. I’ve been in the little queue watching well set-up, body-lifted and generously-tyred trucks fighting the bank, but despite God knows how much torque and engaged twin lockers, a scorecard would show that the bank is winning. So what chance does my shiny little lifestyle truck have with its 32s and … hey, quite a bit. Lockers in and moving at not much beyond idle, I’m up and over first go. I park the two-door Rubicon and walk to where the man is videoing. “You need one more modification,” he says after the last truck has scrambled through. Oh dear, bigger lift, wider tyres, a better driver? “You need to make it noisier, you made it look far too easy.”
The comment has stayed with me, because it sums up perfectly what I’d hoped to do when I bought the silver 2010 Wrangler almost a year earlier – turn it into the ideal 85 percent club truck. It’s been my observation over the years that a lot of club trucks are over-modified and over-equipped. I know this from experience because I used to have such a vehicle. My plan in changing from a modified Defender 90 to its direct American rival was to make it capable of tackling 85 per cent of club runs, the ones that that start where the shiney runs stop. If someone asks if I want to do Thompsons in the morning and Waitawheta in the afternoon, I’ll thank them and say no; been there and spent the money repairing that.
Less might well be more because several challenging trips have now proved my theory about the 85 percent truck. Indeed, it might even be a 90 percenter – but only after discovering the hard way that an original “minimalist” build plan was seriously flawed. This article is about a Jeep, but the lessons I’ve learnt are widely applicable. If you’re keen to build a truck for club runs but don’t want a winch challenge machine, yet don’t want to look like a dork by bellying-out on the first mound, join me in the passenger’s seat as we take the JK Wrangler from “oh-oh” to “Go”.
A good start
The Rubicon comes standard with good stuff, including electrically activated front and rear lockers, a front swaybar disconnect and killer low-gear ratios. In low first, this petrol automatic saunters down steep banks as slowly as my old manual diesel Defender 90! I figured, therefore, that the Jeep would only need a few mods to make it trail ready.
Less might well be more because several challenging trips have now proved my theory about the 85 percent truck. Indeed, it might even be a 90 percenter – but only after discovering the hard way that an original “minimalist” build plan was seriously flawed. This article is about a Jeep, but the lessons I’ve learnt are widely applicable. If you’re keen to build a truck for club runs but don’t want a winch challenge machine, yet don’t want to look like a dork by bellying-out on the first mound, join me in the passenger’s seat as we take the JK Wrangler from “oh-oh” to “Go”.
A good start
The Rubicon comes standard with good stuff, including electrically activated front and rear lockers, a front swaybar disconnect and killer low-gear ratios. In low first, this petrol automatic saunters down steep banks as slowly as my old manual diesel Defender 90! I figured, therefore, that the Jeep would only need a few mods to make it trail ready.
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| Mopar skidplate transferred perfectly to the ARB bumper. |
These included proper recovery points, mud tyres only a size larger than the stock all-terrains, a wired-in ARB compressor to re-inflate tyres, a good nose skidplate and decent rocksliders to replace the strong but under-endowed ones standard on Rubicon.
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| Mopar recovery points came and went. |
These, plus the usual off-road bric-a-brac such as fire extinguisher, spade, ropes and shackles, and I’d be ready to rock. I overlooked that the Wrangler had nowhere to hi-lift from, rationalising that the toolkit scissors jack was well built and relatively long reaching.
It’s almost impossible to properly fit the familiar rated recovery hooks to the front of a JK Wrangler with a standard bumper, so I imported a set of Mopar rated hooks with integral rings that bolt to the front of each longitudinal chassis member, directly behind the plastic bumper. I also bought in a Mopar front skidplate and a set of Hanson sliders. No relation of mine, Hanson Offroad products are of the highest quality. I’m a believer in sill protection, especially protection that sticks out to help save the bodywork. Many sliders do this, but most are tubular, with openings just waiting to catch a stick or rogue root between the bar and bodywork. The Hansons are solid with a beautifully bevelled undersurface and recessed steps to help getting in and out. The sliders will rarely face rocks, but they’ve already warded off other track nasties.
But then …
Years of owning a modified Defender with truly generous clearances had put me off guard when it came to estimating how much ground clearance the Jeep didn’t have. Clearance of 240mm at the diff heads has not been a problem. But the number of times I was getting hung-up elsewhere, and the number of times the standard front and rear bumpers were getting whacked or dug into something, told me my 85 percent goal was way off. Had the man with the video camera been watching then, he’d have suggested a longer list of mods, possibly with a sneer.
Continued in the next posting.
It’s almost impossible to properly fit the familiar rated recovery hooks to the front of a JK Wrangler with a standard bumper, so I imported a set of Mopar rated hooks with integral rings that bolt to the front of each longitudinal chassis member, directly behind the plastic bumper. I also bought in a Mopar front skidplate and a set of Hanson sliders. No relation of mine, Hanson Offroad products are of the highest quality. I’m a believer in sill protection, especially protection that sticks out to help save the bodywork. Many sliders do this, but most are tubular, with openings just waiting to catch a stick or rogue root between the bar and bodywork. The Hansons are solid with a beautifully bevelled undersurface and recessed steps to help getting in and out. The sliders will rarely face rocks, but they’ve already warded off other track nasties.
But then …
Years of owning a modified Defender with truly generous clearances had put me off guard when it came to estimating how much ground clearance the Jeep didn’t have. Clearance of 240mm at the diff heads has not been a problem. But the number of times I was getting hung-up elsewhere, and the number of times the standard front and rear bumpers were getting whacked or dug into something, told me my 85 percent goal was way off. Had the man with the video camera been watching then, he’d have suggested a longer list of mods, possibly with a sneer.
Continued in the next posting.
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| It was all the Land Rover's fault for having so much clearance. |
Jeeps are built, not bought II – it all comes together
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| Ah, that's better: the Wrangler at Jeep Woodhill 4WD Adventure Park. God bless beam axle suspension. |
Tyres
Skip this bit if you don’t agree, but I believe that outside of 4x4 competition, super-aggressive tyres like the Centipedes are overkill. I was going to fit BFG Mud Terrains to the Rubicon’s 17-inch alloys, but was seduced by good reviews overseas of the new-ish Goodyear Wrangler MT/Rs with Kevlar (photo, right). Their unusual asymmetric design combines advantages of an all terrain and a mudder. From the brake side out the pattern comprises a row of block tread, then some all terrain-type tread, some typical mud terrain tread, then another row of blocks. The common criticism is that they’re too much of a compromise, but my experience over four seasons is that they are at no disadvantage compared to the best non-extreme mud treads, whatever the terrain. My 255/75 x 17s are a conservative one size up from stock.
Clearance
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| Aiden Van der Werff ready to fit an OME spring. |
Although diff-head clearance hadn’t been an issue, the Wrangler was hanging-up elsewhere. Fortunately, the Jeep world is full of Wrangler lift kits. For example, the catalogue from American supplier Quadratec is thicker than some provincial phone books and devotes 32 pages to lift kits and suspension improvements. I shopped closer to home, with the relatively simple (simple is good!) but well reviewed Old Man Emu kit. I have used OME for years, always pleased with both the products and the service from suppliers, in this case Jeep-friendly Motortech 4x4 on Auckland’s north shore. I got medium-weight 2616 front springs suitable for a vehicle with a bar and medium rated 2630s at the back. These provided about 60mm more air under the body and solved my clearance problems. A fair bit firmer than standard, I’d think twice before choosing a “heavy” option. The Nitrocharger Sport shocks provide way better ride and control than the uninspiring factory dampers.
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| Rancho Rock Gear sump shield is glued in place. Maybe it's painted red for easy location if it falls off. |
While discovering the insufficient clearances, I seriously re-shaped the V6’s flimsy sump; only luck stopped it tearing open. The Motortech 4x4 guys hammered it into shape, carefully testing for leaks. They then fitted a Rancho RockGear sump shield I’d imported from the US. Beautifully built, it’s a controversial product because it’s held in place by special adhesive. The subject of many postings on Jeep forums, no one has yet reported one falling off or coming loose.
Bumpers: The Wrangler’s standard bumpers had to go. I rather fancied an American product or two, but chose ARB’s because we live in the age of OSH and Motortech 4x4 has had no problem getting ARB low-volume certified. The steel product’s a good compromise between light weight and brute strength.
Bumpers: The Wrangler’s standard bumpers had to go. I rather fancied an American product or two, but chose ARB’s because we live in the age of OSH and Motortech 4x4 has had no problem getting ARB low-volume certified. The steel product’s a good compromise between light weight and brute strength.
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| So it's time to get serious in Motortech's workshop |
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| More fun than Christmas: Aiden Van der Werff unpacks the goodies at Motortech. |
Fortunately, the Mopar skid plate mated perfectly and the bumper allowed fitting our familiar rated recovery hooks. At the back, the standard bumper included a number plate holder that protruded below its lower edge to act as a scraper blade. Another couple of outings and it would have been wrecked, so a matching ARB rear bumper seemed like, and was, a good idea. The extra clearance of the two well-built bumpers, particularly at the front, has been an eye opener and the Wrangler is also a better-looking vehicle for them. The bumpers also let me Hi-Lift off purpose-provided slots.
Why no winch?
The winch on my last truck became a 40kg dead weight, so infrequently was it used. I almost always travel in groups so there’s usually a friendly recovery nearby. If not, I’ll have to get out my Tirfor 516D hand winch. Using it can be hard work, but it’ll do the job. Should I change my mind, the ARB bumper is winch-ready.
The winch on my last truck became a 40kg dead weight, so infrequently was it used. I almost always travel in groups so there’s usually a friendly recovery nearby. If not, I’ll have to get out my Tirfor 516D hand winch. Using it can be hard work, but it’ll do the job. Should I change my mind, the ARB bumper is winch-ready.
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| Mounted under passenger seat, the latest ARB compressor provides an energetic source of air for re-inflating tyres. |
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| ARB's recently introduced deflator is the best 4wdNewz has used. |
Other stuff
After 12 years with a GME AM CB radio, it wasn’t a hard sell by Motortech to get me into a compact 3220 UHF unit with matched aerial. It’s easily used by the clumsy-fingered and pulls in a strong, clear signal.
A wired-in ARB CKMA12 compressor lives under the Wrangler’s passenger seat for tyre inflation and it’s significantly faster then the older model. The 6m air hose, a detachable inflator with gauge, and the ARB E-Z tyre deflator all sit beside it, out of the way. The E-Z is the best deflation device I’ve ever used.
After 12 years with a GME AM CB radio, it wasn’t a hard sell by Motortech to get me into a compact 3220 UHF unit with matched aerial. It’s easily used by the clumsy-fingered and pulls in a strong, clear signal.
A wired-in ARB CKMA12 compressor lives under the Wrangler’s passenger seat for tyre inflation and it’s significantly faster then the older model. The 6m air hose, a detachable inflator with gauge, and the ARB E-Z tyre deflator all sit beside it, out of the way. The E-Z is the best deflation device I’ve ever used.
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| ARB bumpers allow the Jeep to be Hi-Lifted from front or back. |
Other bits and pieces include the American Rugged Ridge Hi-Lift jack bracket that fits to the tailgate end of the roll cage and allows secure stowage of, and quick access to, the heavy jack. A good Wrangler-owning handyman could easily make one and it would be time well spent.
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| American Rugged Ridge mount keeps jack secured to roll structure. |
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| Recovery points don't get much more accessible than this. |
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| Seal of approval: the low-volume certification plate gets riveted to body. |
February 22, 2011
You call that a ramp – nah, THIS is a ramp!
An interesting little offering from YouTube. Can't say I'd want to try it myself!
Are you sure you're insured off-road?
Years ago, after State Insurance had treated me like scum of the earth, I went seeking another company that would cover non-competition off-road activities. It wasn’t easy. Most didn’t want to know. Eventually, I found NZI, which would be happy to insure me “anywhere in New Zealand” whether on a formed road or not, so long as I wasn’t engaged in any sort of competitive activity. I was assured that tag-alongs and club trips were fine. All good.
Fast forward 12 years to when I was insuring the Jeep. “Of course, you’re not using it off-road,” the voice on the phone said. What followed was a nervous conversation. Clearly, NZI’s earlier attitude had altered. Eventually, the customer service person agreed that I’d be covered off-road if I was “going from A to B”. Well, fair enough, any off-roading I do pretty well falls into that category and, to be a stickler for accuracy, there’s usually a way to find a handy B just a few metres away from A! I sought a confirmation in writing that it’s still okay to go off-road and, weeks later, none has arrived.
Because my house and contents insurance are with NZI, I get an excellent price on the auto insurance, but now I’m getting twitchy and maybe it’s time to re-think, even if it means paying more. There are alternatives. For example, years ago John Barley of Auckland’s Barley Insurances Ltd developed a policy for NZ4WD Association members that covers holders on- and off-road, no ifs, ands or buts. An insurance broker, if you have one, may also be able to find you a peace-of-mind policy.
The point of this post is to suggest you be very sure your policy covers off-roading. You also need to understand what the insurer understands “off-road” to be. If you get nervous about their answers, it might be time to look around.
I have no connection whatsoever with Barley Insurances, but here’s a link to the off-road policy.
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