Episode 658 – It’s GIVEAWAY Time!
This Week In Jeep
The Debate is Over. Jeep Wins!
I used to joke about my last job as a design engineer in the electronics manufacturing industry, that I got to reinvent the screwdriver every day.
Well, Jeep took a page out of my own playbook, (i know you execs are listening, so where’s our check already?) …. Jeep has reinvented the windshield wiper.
We’ve all been there. Out on the trail, hit the wipers, and… “SMEAR SMUDGE SMEAR SMUDGE SMEAR SMUDGE” Or flip on the wipers and washers to get rid of a nice layer of built-up bugs and road grime only to see half of it remain after damn near draining your bottle and pissing off everyone behind you? New high-performance wiper blades from Jeep Performance Parts aim to solve that problem, especially for people who frequently go off-roading. They’re available now for the 2018 model year and newer Wrangler and Gladiator for $140.
To clear away gunk better, these wipers have 12 laser-cut holes on each blade. Washer fluid comes out of the openings as the blade moves. Jeep claims this design removes dirt and debris on the very first stroke.
Fitting these parts requires disabling the windshield washer nozzles on the Wrangler or Gladiator. According to Jeep, these wipers use less washer fluid than spraying it directly onto the window. What’s stopping you from putting these on your YJ? probably nothing other than fitment. The new JL line of Wranglers use a 16″ drivers side and passenger side wiper length, so other than any potential issues of the connection point, then all you’d need to worry about is extending the washer lines from the spray nozzles, to the fitting on these new fancy laser cut wiper blades. I’d have a set of these on my XJ in a heartbeat if it weren’t for the fact I need 18-inch blades, not 16. If you have any experience with these new blades, we’d love to hear your thoughts on how well they perform and last.
Jeep and Harvey Weinstein Settle Lawsuits
Back in episode 622, I talked about the connection between Jeep and disgraced former Hollywood movie producer Harvey Weinstein (who is currently rotting in jail for sexual assault and rape.) Back in 2017 Jeep gave Harvey a brand new loaded Wrangler so that they could get some product placement in one of his films. Well according to mister convicted sleazeball, In August of 2019, while driving said Jeep, Harvey boy allegedly ((quote/unquote)) was forced to swerve to miss a deer on the road, and the crash left him catastrophically injured, and he’s seeking $5 million in damages. Lawyers for Weinstein are making the claim that the brakes failed on a (quote) “unreasonably dangerous” Jeep Wrangler. Riiiiiight. And this particular Jeep Wrangler out of the literally hundreds of thousands of others that were made that year was the only one that was manufactured with this defect. I made the argument that there is no evidence that the brakes indeed failed, and that the result of this accident is more likely attributed to the inability to properly react to an object in the road, and the particulars of the crash point to a gross overreaction by the driver of the Jeep. But let’s go with a deer on the road.
In any event, FCA (Jeep’s parent company at the time) and Harvey Weinstein have agreed to end their competing lawsuits. FCA’s lawsuit in case you were wondering said pretty much the same thing I was thinking, insisting that the Wrangler was safe and that Weinstein’s negligence was to blame for the accident. The automaker was counter-suing him to cover its legal fees. Reports fail to cover just how much of a settlement was involved if there was any, and what the particulars were of the agreement to drop the respective lawsuits. For now, at least, I think we can all be glad that Jeep can finally wash its hands of this Weinstein stink.
(no offense to anyone with the name of Weinstein, unless your first name is Harvey and you’re currently serving a 23-year sentence for being a gross horny bastard.)
Newbie Nuggets with Wendy
Recovery gear- know how and when to use it
In last week’s episode 654 where I covered a recovery gone bad, this week I’m sharing different recovery options and how they may be used.
One of the first things we teach a new student about recovery is you have to assess the situation and determine exactly what is needed. Most people just want to jump right in, strap something up and tug away. But there are things to consider for a successful recovery, like making sure you use the correct equipment. Like I mentioned last week, get some training either through a class or a mentor before you tackle any recovery.
Being stuck, believe it or not, is sometimes part of the fun of Jeeping. Oh sure, none of us would admit we like to get stuck or purposely get stuck, but we would all admit we love to help recover a stuck jeep. Something about helping someone else is very gratifying.
When looking at a potential recovery you need to look and assess what the problem is. Are they stuck on a rock and need a simple tug, or are they buried up to their axles in mud or snow and may need heavier equipment like Matt’s Off-Road Recovery? Once you determine what they are stuck in, or on, then you can decide which piece of gear you need to use.
We normally teach that if a stuck jeep needs a tug, a tow strap is our first go-to. The strap needs to be rated for as much as possible and preferably American-made. Sure you can run to home depot or Harbor freight for a strap but you want at least a 2”-3” wide strap and rated as high as possible (like 45,000lbs). There are lots of manufacturers of good tow straps made in America so make sure you check out the ratings before you buy one.
If you are stuck on a rock a tow strap could probably do the trick, but what if you don’t have the room to utilize the length of the tow strap, have you thought about shortening the strap in half? One 20-foot tow strap should be sufficient for most recoveries.
The next thing you’ll need is soft shackles. I know there are D-Rings (or sometimes called shackles) but honestly, for me they are hard to remove without a wrench, but you still need a few on your rig as recovery points. The soft shackle is by far the easiest, and in my opinion, the best to use and stronger than most D-rings. Soft shackles are rated up to 45,000lbs so get one that has a high rating and again, made in America.
You do need a set of D-Rings for your rig though. These are used as attachment points when the hole on your jeep is too rough or has sharp edges. The sharp edges have the potential to snag or tear the soft shackle so metal D-rings are better for this. Make sure you get quality D-rings though. Sure, you can get your Chinese brand from Harbor Freight or the big box stores but check the rating. Some won’t even give you a rating. Stay away from these. As I mentioned in the last episode, failing equipment can be lethal! Also, keep in mind that soft shackles are much lighter to carry around and typically have a higher load rating.
We have D-rings that have rubber washers or shims in-between the locking lug and the bumper so no more clanking noises going down the road.
If the vehicle is really stuck in the mud or snow and buried quite deep a kinetic rope may be an option. The kinetic rope is used to create an elastic type rebound that literally absorbs the tension energy and when the rope “snaps” back to its original length it helps pull the stuck vehicle out. This is used when the tow vehicle backs up and gets a good run at it to pull. This technique will not work with a tow strap. There simply isn’t any “give” in a tow strap and something will almost always break. Kinetic ropes are designed to bounce back in shape and the stored energy flings the vehicle forward.
Now another thing we see on Overlanding vehicles and Gladiators these days are the MaxTrax boards attached to a rack or something on the jeep. I’m sure you have seen them. They are bright orange boards that are designed to help get you out of a stuck situation. These are great if you are out alone (please don’t go out alone) and you get in some soft sand and can’t seem to get free. You would simply dig (hope you have a shovel on board) in front of the tires and place the longboard right in front of the tire and in theory you drive right out. The problem we have seen is if you are deep enough and don’t have a shovel or can’t get that full-length MaxTrax to lay down in front of the tire, they are useless. We found a product called GoTreads and they are far better and less $$ than Maxtrax. Sure they don’t look as cool as that orange board, but they also take up less room. These fold like an accordion for storage and are so easy to use. I can use one end to dig out the sand (no shovel needed) and then simply lay them down into the hole and in front of the tires. If the sand is too high I can leave the mound and simply wrap these around the dirt and the vehicle climbs right out.
Maybe the vehicle is stuck to the point where the tow strap and kinetic rope are not options. If you have a winch on board this may be time to use it. In episode 434 I cover a whole winching and safety segment so I’m only going to talk a little about it here. When you use a winch, you will most likely need a tree saver. This can be the same material as a tow strap but much shorter. It’s designed to go around a tree so that your winch line does not damage the tree. These tree savers can also be used on rocks too. There are other options on the market like the Deadman Earth Anchor by Deadman Off-Road that you actually bury in the ground with sand or dirt if there are no rocks or trees to latch on to. Also, make sure you have a closed loop endlink on your winch line, the old-school “hook with a catch” isn’t as strong as a closed loop. Factor 55 has a great selection of products for end-links, straps, soft shackles, and kinetic ropes.
Winching for us is generally the last resort. We always try to assess the recovery and determine the best tools to use.
Having choices on board helps, but it’s not necessary to carry all of the above. We do, but we are also teaching recovery classes and leading jeep runs so we never know what we may run across on the trail.
Recovery is something that cannot be taken lightly. Make sure you get some training and really understand how to use the gear. Safety is our number one priority with recoveries. If you’re not sure you can recover someone safely, then don’t offer to help.
https://factor55.com/products/
Jeep Talk Show Gladiator Update
You know the Gladiator, and for that matter, 21st-century vehicles are new to me. I wasn’t thrilled about buying a new jeep without the legendary 4.0L engine in it.
I found out on our last round table episode, 656, from Kevin Baxter, that he thinks the 3.6l engine from Jeep is an amazing engine and the only problem he can see is its inability to have oil on all the important bits during engine start-up.
The engine oil drains out of the engine after just half an hour after stopping. When you start up it can take 2 or 3 seconds for the oil to circulate to all the parts in the 3.6! That’s wear on important engine parts.
Kevin Baxter didn’t like this so he built a simple adapter that goes on in place of your 3.6 oil filter.
It’s the MR-201-BK cartridge to a spin-on adapter. Now the oil doesn’t drain from the oil filter and is there when you start the 3.6l. Of course, this isn’t just for the Gladiator. In fact, Kevin has these for several Jeeps, and other manufacturers as well.
Visit baxterperformanceusa.com and listen to our Round Table episode 656.
Oh and Baxter Performance USA is coming out with a remote adapter version that allows you to cool that oil as well!
Must-Have Stuff Pick-of-the-Week for your Jeep!
Wooden Mechanical 3D Model “Jeep Willys” $23 https://amzn.to/3JOi8bu
(same item originally aired in mid-2019 at over three times the price, …so if you didn’t get one then, it’s time to get one now!)
- No Glue is required to assemble
- Number of parts: 570
- Approximate time to assemble – 12 Hours
- Not Recommended for children under 14
- Has a removable shovel, ax, and fuel canister
- Independent suspension
- Four-wheel drive
- The model is started with a special key
- Travels about 2 feet under its own power
Links Mentioned in this Episode
GoTreads Recovery Boards – https://gotreads.com/shop/
Gear America – https://www.gearamerica.com/
Factor 55 – https://factor55.com/products/
NEXEN Tires USA https://www.nexentireusa.com/
Trails 411- POWERING Your Adventure https://www.youtube.com/user/backcountrydriver
The 4×4 Radio Network http://4x4radionetwork.com/
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