Episode 401 – Trailchasers Crashes The Show
This Week In Jeep:
Dorain’s Jeep
Natural disasters and Jeeps are pretty synonymous with one another. We’ve told countless stories over the years of people using their Jeep to help others in need after and even during storms and other tragic events. We have even heard of a jeep surviving a tornado that all but flattened the house and the garage it was parked in. Jeeps and disasters go hand in hand like Jeep did during the war. Except this story of a Jeep and mother nature has a lesson in common sense attached to it. If you’ve been on the web in the last 24 hours (as we record this), Hurricane Dorian is poised of the U.S. coastline ready to attack. And it is/was on one particular beach, that a Jeep owner made some poor decisions. Storm watching is great. If you are landlocked and haven’t seen the ocean in a while, trust me, it’s even more impressive when the seas are angry and the surf is high. But when under evacuation orders, driving your Jeep out onto the beach that is about to be struck by winds over 125 miles per hour is not a good idea in the least. You see there’s this thing called storm surge, and it’s basically when the strong winds from a large storm, tropical depression, or hurricane push the water further up the shore line, and create large swells, and tall surf. In other words, extremely dangerous conditions, and those which should not be taken lightly. Certainly not so lightly that you’d think it a good idea to drive your stock grand Cherokee out onto the beach and into the water. But that’s just what this one person did on Myrtle beach this week. The images, and twitter videos are going utterly viral, as we watch this persons nice clean maroon grand Cherokee all but get swallowed up by surging storm waters. Bystanders take advantage of the situation, and despite the rough waters and strong winds, climb onto the stranded and abandoned Jeep to take selfies. Look, i have as much of an adventurous spirit as the next guy, and anyone who knows me knows I love a good adrenaline rush. But there’s a difference between being brave and being stupid, and I think if you see the images and videos for yourself, you’d agree there’s plenty of that going around in this situation by multiple parties. By the time you hear this, the Jeep is likely completely buried in the sand, or has been drug out to sea. In any event, I’m sure all that plastic, motor oil and gasoline will be good for the beach. I wonder if in like 30 years some pasty beach goer with too much sunscreen on his nose and a metal detector is going to have the find of his life>?!
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PyRYXQ8GztQ[/embedyt]
Stolen Jeep Returned (with extras)
I have to credit fox news for reporting on something near and dear to my heart, auto theft. And the fact that this story takes place in my own backyard nonetheless, is even more reason for me to share this. Especially since there;s a little karma involved! It was this week that a story broke about an Oregon man who had his Jeep stolen. Something we hear about all too often. We also hear (and not often enough,) is just how stupid some of these thieves can be. If you’ve listened to the show for a while, then you know I’ve been a victim of auto theft 5 times, and thankfully it was only my daily driver, and not my Jeep. But you’d also undoubtedly know about my undying love for stupid criminal stories. These Jeep thieves thankfully fit the bill perfectly. These guys made a major mistake. They got a little trigger happy, and decided to take multiple selfies throughout their escapades. Look, leaving behind a well documented pictorial string of evidence is what I call a blatant example of stupid criminals, and I’m loving every word of this. Joe Williams’ 1995 Jeep Cherokee XJ was stolen last month from outside his home in Portland. 
Just a week later, police contacted him after finding the vehicle–engine running and windshield wipers still going! Once Joe got his Jeep back, he discovered several odd items belonging to the car thieves, including a stuffed bear, a tattoo gun, ink and rubber gloves as well as various tools that were likely used to break into his Jeep with. Getting the whole family involved in cleaning up after the thieves, one of Joe’s teenage kids found a disposable camera in the glove box that the family had completely forgotten about. Interested in what memories might have been on the camera, the children sent it out to be developed. I think you can guess what was developed. Much to his surprise, along with family pictures, Williams saw several selfies of the suspects sitting inside his vehicle. Just how stupid do you have to be to leave pictures of yourself in the vehicle YOU STOLE?!? One image shows a crazy looking female screaming into the camera lens. Another pic shows a young tattooed man sitting in the driver’s seat enjoying a drink while his buddy in the passenger seat is being entertained by something on his phone. The owner of the Jeep, Joe, is of course interested in finding out who these individuals are and shared the images on Next door, the local neighborhood website, with the caption “anyone recognize these Einsteins?” Joe said in a press release that while several people thought they recognized the thieves, he is not planning on turning the images over to the police to pursue any charges. Which is a damn shame if you ask me, clearly these punks need a lesson in respecting other people’s property. “The Jeep’s older than dirt,” said Joe… “When I bought my new car, I was going to trade it in. The dealer offered me $65 for it.” Despite the dealers low ball offer, Joe is holding on to the Jeep now. And hopefully those thieves won’t be holding onto their freedom for much longer.
Wrangler Talk:
Getting My Wrangler Ready for my Adams Xtreme Adventure Took out my back seats, building a platform, storage for clothes and other items, Twin foam mattress I modded with a bread knife -first ever Jeep mod with a bread knife, Molle Platform Solutions shelf. https://www.molle-platform-solutions.com/ Neil’s kitchen, shower, solar panel, Costway fridge
Interview with:
Cody with Trailchasers
Cody was born to a blue collar family with a humble upbringing. In 2014, an idea was sparked as if it were sent down from Thor’s hammer. Thus, a website was born; www.trailchasers.net. Since then, the website has grown and more content has been added. Cody realized that people should, no, they must, hear him and his friends talk about stuff. And now, The Trailchasers Podcast has risen from the interwebs as the most bad-ass podcast to ever talk about stuff in the history of stuff being talked about. If you are not a subscriber to The Trailchasers Podcast, you are not living your fullest life. I assure you, water will be more refreshing, food will be more satisfying, and sexy-time will be more sexier…all by listening to The Trailchasers Podcast! Thats www.trailchasers.net
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p51azHusWwM[/embedyt]
Tech Talk With Jeep Talk:
Brake Talk
Last week I started in on the top 8 signs that you have a brake problem developing, or are in the throws of one right now, and may not know it. We’re going to pick up right where we left off and get into the next most typical sign you need to give your brakes some love. This one is pretty obvious, and is a clear indication that you have some serious issues going on. Leaking fluid. If you’re experiencing a soft brake pedal, where there is not as much resistance in the pedal when depressing it, have a service technician look for fluid leaking from the master cylinder or elsewhere in the brake system. Even a very small leak can lead to big issues. The master cylinder is the unit that creates the power for your brakes. It has a reservoir like the one for your wiper fluid that contains brake fluid. When you apply the brakes, this fluid is pushed through thin piping, creating hydraulic pressure. If fluid is leaking from this system, there may not be enough power to force the brake pads to clamp hard to the rotors. And speaking of a Spongy or Soft Brake Pedal…. If you notice a difference in the resistance in the brake pedal — it feels “softer,” or sinks all the way to the floor mat when you press on it — it’s a sign you need immediate brake service. There could be air or moisture in the braking system or a problem with the master cylinder. Generally, in Jeeps with power brakes the pedal should stop 1 to 1 ½ inches from the floor. If you have manual brakes, the pedal should stop more than 3 inches from the floor. Another sign that you need brake service is when braking, the Jeep will want to pull to one side. This could be caused by a brake hose gone bad or even a caliper problem. One brake caliper may be applying more or all the pressure during braking, resulting in unbalanced stopping. Having the calipers inspected for proper function would be the first step in determining if the problem lies there, or somewhere else in the system. Another obvious sign something is wrong is if you ever encounter a burning smell while driving. If you notice a sharp, chemical odor after repeated hard braking on steep roads or trails, this is a sign of overheated brakes or clutch. It would be a good idea to pull over immediately in a safe place, one where fire danger isn’t going to be an issue, and check your parking brake to make sure it’s fully released and allow the brakes to cool. If you don’t, you risk heating up the brake fluid to boiling, which can cause brake failure. Also, If there’s any smoke coming from a wheel, it may be a stuck brake caliper and possibly unsafe to continue driving any further without repairs. Although this next one isn’t directly related to the brakes themselves, it’s related to braking, and is something you should be aware of. If your Jeep rocks or bounces with sharp braking, it’s probably not a brake problem at all. Your shocks may need to be replaced is all. Not every brake noise or symptom is going to cost you. It could be a harmless squeak from certain types of material in brake pads. There may just be dust or moisture somewhere in the braking system that isn’t causing damage but is causing a little noise. You may just need to add new brake fluid, bleed the lines, or do a system flush. But you need to be sure. Brake parts wear out over time, and brake fluid doesn’t stay good forever. In fact, most vehicle manufacturers recommend a brake fluid flush every 45,000 miles at the most, and some say every three years regardless of how many miles you have driven. Brake fluid is hygroscopic, meaning it pulls moisture from the air around it. Regardless of how tightly you screw the cap onto your brake fluid reservoir, some amount of water will eventually seep in. And water is the killer of brake components. Typically though, a brake fluid flush every 20,000 miles or every two years will keep your brakes feeling like new. Self-diagnosing symptoms or delaying brake servicing could put you, your passengers, those around you, and the well being of your Jeep at unnecessary risk. And like with a lot of automotive issues, if there is a problem, the longer you put it off the more likely it will cost more by the time you finally get around to doing something about it. So be vigilant, be aware, and be mindful of what your Jeep is trying to tell you.
Nicky G:
Goes Trans
Wheeling Where:
2nd Annual 4XFOR HOPE Charity Event
October 12th
Three Acres Food Truck Park – Santa Fe, Texas
More Info: https://www.therose.org/
2nd Annual 4XFOR HOPE benefitting THE ROSE for breast cancer treatment, awareness and research. This event is for the entire 4×4 community to come together and raise money for an amazing cause. 100% of all donations go to The Rose. We offer outdoor entertainment and an amazing raffle.
Tri County 4 Wheelers – Annual Sand Drags
October 5th
Lisbon, Ohio
More Info: https://tricounty4wheelers.com/sand-drags
Competition is open to anyone, club membership is not required.
Links Mentioned in Episode 401:
https://www.molle-platform-solutions.com/
https://www.trailchasers.net/