Innehållsförteckning för June 2017 från Four Wheeler

OUTDOOR LED Rigid Industries now offers 110V AC-powered LED scene lights to illuminate indoor and outdoor areas. Each light is said to feature a thermally optimized heatsink, extreme output, and minimal amp draw. The lights are available in 2x2-, 4x4-, and 2x10-inch sizes and are said to project a 115-degree horizontal beam spread. The LED lights are available with both black and white housings. INFO: Rigid Industries, 855/760-5337, rigidindustries.com MATCHING MATS Remington Industries now offers automotive floor protection under the BFGoodrich Tires brand name. You can get floor mats that match the tread on your BFG tires! Remington Industries has partnered with BFGoodrich Tires and plans to develop other off-road automotive accessories as well. INFO: Remington Industries, 423/238-3455, remingtonind.com JK CARGO Do you need more storage space on your Jeep…

EXPERIENCING THE PLUG-AND-PLAY NATURE OF diesel performance has never been easier. In an age where we use our smartphones for everything, a new product called EZ Lynk Auto Agent couldn’t have come at a better time. Thanks to the advent of this technology, you can now program, diagnose, and monitor your truck via your smartphone. There’s no more emailing custom tuning files back and forth and no more itty-bitty, easy-to-lose SD cards, and you don’t even have to pull the VIN number to get started. But that’s not all. EZ Lynk has the ability to data log and then share your collected data with a technician—making a diagnosis and an impending fix possible without ever having to visit a shop. With the capability of reflashing vehicle system controllers as well,…

In the Aug. ’90 issue of Four Wheeler, we “road tested” a customized ’90 GMC K1500 pickup that was built by GMC Truck for display at the 1989 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show in Las Vegas. Following the show, GMC wanted more exposure on the truck so the company offered to let us drive it for a couple weeks. We took ’em up on it. Why? Well, why not? We wrote in the story that we were often asked, “You must get tired of driving these tall trucks around all the time.” We noted, “Unfortunately, the opportunity to actually pilot one of these things is rare for anyone—even us—despite the fact that we either shoot photos or write about them on a daily basis.” Those “things” we were referring…

THE ’17 MODEL YEAR IS A BIG YEAR FOR PICKUP trucks. How big? Well, 2017 is the first year in well over a decade that our annual Four Wheeler Pickup Truck of the Year competition hosted seven all-new or substantially revised trucks. That’s a far higher number than average. Pickup Truck of the Year (PTOTY) was launched in 1989 as a spinoff event from Four Wheeler of the Year, which traces its roots back to 1974. Four Wheeler began the event as a way to introduce, disseminate, and test the latest and greatest four-wheel-drive pickup trucks, which is a mission that continues today. The reality is that if you’re in the market for a new pickup or just want to be knowledgeable about the newest rigs, you’d have to allocate…

WE LOVE OWNING A TRUCK. GIVEN THAT WE routinely like to haul an assortment of gear and bed toys, having a pickup simply makes more sense than an SUV. The biggest challenge we’ve found with our ’08 Toyota Tacoma Double Cab has been the lack of covered storage options once we fill up the cabin with passengers. While daily driving, this isn’t much of a concern. However, for longer trips, it was a real problem. Since we use our truck to haul a variety of items from motorcycles to tires, we didn’t want to invest in a heavy and expensive bed shell. Over the years, we’ve tested an assortment of different styles and types of bed covers, and by far one of our favorites has been the EZFold Soft Tonneau…

WE’RE NOW BACK TO MAKING GOOD PROGRESS ON OUR ’88 CHEVY K5 BLAZER doomsday-survival rig, the Bug-Out Blazer (B.O.B.). If you haven’t been keeping tabs, we’ve knocked out some of the bigger line-items on our mechanical-survivability checklist, including the basic & reliable leaf-spring suspension system, modified 1-ton CUCV axle swap and beadlock wheels wearing 40-inch tires. The list still remains long, but this installment gives us a glimpse at the light at the end of the drivetrain-tunnel. To draw from the library of redneck-analogies cataloged in our heads: the struggle of building a highly capable, highly reliable off-road rig is like floating a duck boat that’s been ventilated with OO buckshot—you’re forever plugging holes to keep the vessel afloat. To us, that’s all become part of the fun, but given…

CENTER DIFF DIFFERENCE QWhat is a central locking differential and why do those limey European rigs have them and our American ones don’t? What gives? What’s the benefit between their system compared to our standard 4WD transfer case? @AGUIJIMENEZ VIA INSTAGRAM @CAPPAWORKS AThe center locking differential isn’t just a component found on overseas 4x4s. It can be found on any 4x4 with both full-time and part-time 4x4 transfer case settings. This includes some current model Jeep Grand Cherokees, the ’17 Ford Raptor, and some GM trucks, among others. A central locking differential is located in the transfer case and performs a function similar to the differentials found in traditional axles. The full-time four-wheel-drive setting is designed for use on the street where very little tire slip occurs. When the vehicle…

The ’18 Ford F-150 will score a new 3.0L Power Stroke V-6 (the first-ever diesel for the F-150), in addition to the new standard 3.3L V-6 (but same horsepower and torque as the previous 3.5L), and a new second-gen 2.7L EcoBoost. Both are hooked to the 10-speed automatic. And the 5.0L V-8 also has improvements for more ponies and torque and also gains the 10-speed. Spot the new grille and other exterior tweaks. RANDOM QUOTE: “THE EXPANSION OF OUR JEEP LINEUP HAS BEEN AND CONTINUES TO BE THE KEY PILLAR OF OUR STRATEGY. OUR COMMITMENT TO INTERNATIONALIZE THE JEEP BRAND IS UNWAVERING, AND WITH THESE LAST MOVES, WE WILL FINALLY HAVE THE CAPACITY TO SUCCESSFULLY PENETRATE MARKETS OTHER THAN THE U.S., WHICH HAVE HISTORICALLY BEEN DENIED PRODUCT DUE TO CAPACITY…

THERE IS LITTLE DEBATE OR DOUBT THAT gear-driven transfer cases have been a popular swap for hardcore wheeling rigs, and often they have been the choice for builders over chain-driven designs for good reason. Of the gear-driven options, the NP205 has been one of the most commonly used cases for serious off-road enthusiasts and builders for multiple reasons, including their sheer strength; the ability to add doublers to cure the inferior, factory 1.96 low range ratio; and there’s twinstick options and plenty of aftermarket support when it comes to finding bearings and seals for repairs or rebuilds. It’s a time-tested case that has proven to be one that can take a beating out on the trail and still hold up through time and, occasionally, neglect. Our JB Conversions LoMax 205…

THE JK WRANGLER HAS ARGUABLY BECOME THE most-popular Jeep in all the iconic 4x4 brand’s history and the addition of the four-door Unlimited filled a gap that needed to be filled. With the higher sales numbers comes more breakage. JKs are typically put under more stress, mostly because of their overall size and the wheelwell openings. Those giant holes are great for stuffing 35s, 37s, and bigger under the Jeep. Stock, a non-Rubicon JK comes with a Dana 30 up front. Rubicon models step up to a Dana 44 front as well as selectable lockers front and rear. The internal components of the Dana 44 are strong, typically the weak link is the housing. Bent tubes, broken castings and mangled bracketry are common failures. That’s where G2 Axle & Gear…

THESE DAYS THE AUTOMOTIVE AFTERMARKET IS CHOCKED FULL OF accessories; some improve vehicle performance and capability, while others focus on comfort and aesthetics. Judging by the expansive Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show in recent years it’s safe to say the automotive aftermarket is alive and well and the recession is long gone. As soon as the OEs roll out new models, the aftermarket companies race to design, test, and release new products to meet consumer demand. From lift kits and bumpers, to floor mats and engine upgrades, there’s no shortage of options to customize most late-model vehicles. An example is the all-new ’17 Ford Super Duty. We anticipated it would be the hot new truck at the 2016 SEMA Show, and it was. Among the companies that showed up…