Episode 446 – Clean Up Your Trail!
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This Week In Jeep:
To “Quietly” Go Where Many Have Gone Before
We’ve been talking about Jeep going electric for a while now. I think it was back in October when FCA made the move to acquire French Automaker PSA Group, who in the 50-50 merger now make Jeep’s parent company Fiat Chrysler Auto the world’s fourth largest automaker. PSA was invested heavily in automobile electrification, which made this move a smart one, as FCA didn’t have a big background in this arena. FCA’s now claims it will have 30 models with electrified powertrains by 2022, an ambitious target for an automaker that only had the Pacifica Hybrid and the Fiat 500e as anything resembling hybrid or electric vehicles, but is now expanding quickly. Absorbing all that tech for electrifying cars and trucks of course had many of us thinking it was only going to be a matter of time before we saw a hybrid Wrangler. And sure enough, not more than three months after the merger, we get an announcement that Jeep will be coming out with a fully electrified lineup in the coming years, and that we could see an electrified Wrangler as soon as 2021. The time has come, and this week Jeep released a 15 second promo video showcasing the Wrangler 4xe. Sweeping meadowlands, and vast high plains backgrounds foreshadow majestic mountsides in this mini commercial along with fleeting glances at a group of wild horses lounging nearby, ….as a ..wait what was that ….there in those trees, and what did I just see turning the corner of that trail? …. It’s a Jeep Wrangler as it comes silently rolling down the hillside with nothing more than moving air and the sound of tires moving over ground. “”OH WELL CLEARLY HIS MOTOR HAS FAILED AND HE;S JUST COASTING BACK DOWN TO THE ROAD!” The caption across the screen simply reads: “The electrified Jeep Wrangler 4xe – So quiet it won’t disturb naptime.” Nothing about range, price, or capabilities of any kind other than what’s so briefly displayed in the short promo. IT more or less looks like a new 4 door Wrangler JL, I wouldn’t expect any major outward design changes between the gasoline and electric versions, save for some badging that would obviously be unique. In a recent press release, Mike Manley, chief executive officer of FCA, said the global unveiling of the electrified Wrangler is coming in the third quarter of this year. So all the final details will be out very soon. Thanks to spy shots and a recent social media teaser of the vehicle, as well as the Jeep Wrangler 4xe concept from CES and now with this latest video though, we can make some educated guesses about the upcoming Electric Wrangler. Predictably, the model will rely on an electric motor to boost power while also improving fuel efficiency, as well as offering enough power for short stints of all-electric driving. We expect Jeep to pair the torque-rich E-motor with the turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four that Jeep already has in its line up. The Wrangler 4xe is expected to offer up to 31 miles of electric-only driving. And being as this is still a Jeep, I’m not going to be surprised to see the Wrangler 4xe’s powertrain serve as an external power source for things like Jeep branded personal camping equipment or the occasional margarita blender. 31 miles isn’t a whole lot, but that could potentially get many people to work and back, making the 4xe a potentially very attractive commuting vehicle too.
Uh, Yes, …Can I Have Some Grunt With That Please?
Jeep says that customers have been asking for a V-8 Wrangler for some time now… but tell us something we don’t already know. Jim Morrison, the head of Jeep, said that the V8 concept vehicle that was just unveiled (coincidentally on the same day the Ford Bronco came out, which I’m sure was a tactical PR move) proves it has the ability to make that happen. For what it’s worth, Dodge did just squeeze the Hellcat supercharged V-8 into the Durango three-row SUV, but Jeep has had the Grand Cherokee Trackhawk for quite a while now. So big power SUV’s aren’t all that new. HOWEVER, from day 1 of the new Wrangler JL and the Gladiator JT, the masses have been clambering for a new V8 Jeep Wrangler or at least a factory V8 option. I think our wishes are about to come true. In order to fit the burly V-8 into this Wrangler, Jeep had to upgrade the engine mounts and modify the frame. To which I say.. SO WHAT?!..totally worth it! The eight-cylinder engine is FCA’s 392 Hemi, which is a 6.4-liter (392 cubic inch) V-8 that produces 450 horsepower and 450 lb-ft of torque. Numbers which when applied to a Jeep Wrangler, has parts of me literally tingling in anticipation. Jeep claims that the Rubicon 392 concept can go from zero to 60 mph in less than five seconds, and it has a dual-mode exhaust system for some obnoxious V-8 rumbles if the driver so desires. The 392 concept also has the off-road chops to back up the monstrous powertrain including Dana 44 axles, a full-time two-speed transfer case, electronic front and rear locking differentials, and a two-inch lift with upgraded Fox shocks. I’m not a fan of the all time 4WD but it may be needed to keep 450 ponies from getting out of control in the hands of an unsuspecting soccer mom. What may make up for that is a full set of 37-inch mud-terrain tires, Rubicon rock rails, steel bumpers, and a Warn winch up front. All these upgrades allow for over 13 inches of ground clearance, a nearly 52-degree approach angle, 29.5-degree breakover, and 40.1-degree departure angle. If enough people let Jeep know that they’re interested in this V-8 Wrangler, it seems likely the company will actually make it. And unlike many of Jeep’s concept vehicles, this one looks straight off the showroom floor and less like something we’d see rolling on an alien planet. We hope to hear more about it in the coming months, like confirmation that they’ll actually build it—meaning that you all did your job. So find Jeep on social media, and start hounding the crap out of them to build the 392. And be sure to tell them The Jeep Talk Show made you do it.
Jeep Life:
Tony Josh and Wendy a couple of episodes ago, Episode 439, I talked about the Jeep Code. I mentioned the Jeep Wave and stopping for a Jeep on the side of the road that could be broken down. There are other Jeep Codes as well… like tread lightly, if you pack it in pack it out, Stay on the trail, and never leave a Jeep — or is it Jeeper — behind. Well, that last one sits heavy in my heart. It’s not always an easy decision to make when a Jeep breaks down on the trail sometimes there are several other variables in play. Yes, You can arm chair quarterback back at home but in that actual moment so much is in play. As you know I just recently got back from wheeling the Rubicon trail. I took my 2015 Rubicon and Neil was in our 1969 CJ5 we call Bumblebee. My kids also flew into Denver to join us. My oldest son Michael was hesitant to make the trip as he is taking summer college classes. Even though they are online he still had homework deadlines and tests. Neil convinced him to join us. Michael agreed as long as we got him back to the airport on Sunday. I made him that promise – I would get him to the Airport on Sunday. I was looking forward to spending time with them especially showing them the beauty of the West and tackling the Rubicon Trail. It was about 5 months since I had seen them. I picked them up at the airport and the next day we headed for California. Michael rode with Neil in the CJ5 and Ben and our dog Dixie rode with me. We took the back roads since we were driving the CJ5 and her max speed is 60 mph. Our pick up was having issues so we couldn’t tow the Jeep. The CJ5 has a smaller gas tank which meant limited mileage so we had two extra gas cans. A sneak peak into my top 5 lessons learned. Do NOT use used gas cans even if you get them from a trusted friend. You never know what’s been in them. Especially if they are metal. So at one point early in the trip we needed to stop on the side of the road to put gas in the CJ5. It was nothing but issues from that point on. We had taken and driven this Jeep on several trails here in Colorado previously with NO issues. There were several times along the way we needed to stop, and Neil did some repairs on the carburetor and fuel filter. The night before trail day Neil spent hours in the hotel parking lot working on the Jeep. The next morning, we stopped at the Auto parts store and got some extra parts. Before we even got to the trail head we had to stop on Icehouse Road and Neil rebuilt the carburetor. This trip we had invited some of our fans. They all had requested vacation to spend the week with us. We had one come in from Arizona, one from Southern Cali and a Dan a JTS listener drove all the way from Illinois. It was everyone’s first time on the trail. Dan had been on the beginning of the trail before but never made it all the way through. Everyone was looking forward to wheeling the Rubicon Trail. For the most part we were all strangers when we met but now are lifelong friends. So we finally entered the trail around 2pm Monday afternoon. We were all pumped and excited to be ON THE RUBICON TRAIL. Not to long into the trail the CJ5 had the clutch knocked out. Easy trail fix for Neil. It happened again a little tougher fix this time but Neil fixed it. He is the master of trail fixes. Now understand our CJ5 was on 31’s not a whole lot of mods. We had watched video after video of this old school Jeep guys tackling the trail with not a whole lot of issues. Neil is an amazing wheeler. He wheeled some of Kingman’s trails with no lockers in the YJ and conquered obstacles no one thought he could. I had all the faith in his abilities. We knew there might be some winching but that is to be expected. By the second day the CJ5 was not doing good. We ended up have a broken U bolt which Neil had trail fixed and the engine was having serious issues. We began to have to tow her or him. Neil says he’s a he. By the third day just after Little Sluice we came across some California guys. They said we needed to turn around there was no way we could tow her out the rest of the way. This is where it gets hard. It was extremely hot we were all frustrated with the slow go. I felt responsible for everyone’s trip. There were some who wanted to push forward. There were some who said they would go back. The cali guys said if we got permission we could leave it and come back for it or hire someone to tow it out. I felt at the time that was our best solution. I would pay someone to tow it out and come back after I dropped Michael at the airport. There were other discussions of what to do but we all weren’t apart of them at the CJ% was at the top of a hill and some of us were down at the bottom. Eventually it was decided to leave her so everyone could finish the trail. This is most likely a once in a lifetime trip for some. Honestly it was my understanding once we got back to cell coverage I would call some names given to me to get the recovery done. I also felt if I would have posted on Facebook I might have someone help out of the goodness of their heart. We made it off the trail late Thursday night. So Friday morning I put in some calls. Neil posted on the Rubicon Gazette. He actually was so upset he said on his FB page whoever gets it could have the Jeep. Well some guys in Calif with Race buggies came to the rescue. They went in late Friday and got Bumblebee out. It was a 12 hour process with Ultra 4 racing vehicles. They even tried a couple of trail fixes but no luck. She is safe in California until we can go get her. I don’t think Neil will ever forgive me. Friday morning he was under the assumption we would go to the parts store then head back on to the trail to get her. I had a promise to fulfill to my son. It was a 20 hour ride back to Denver. I didn’t think it was a good idea to go back in by ourselves. The other Jeeps had issues and were not capable of making a recovery. My Jeep seemed good to go but going in alone with 2 kids and a dog with no back seats didn’t seem like a good idea. I honestly had total faith in the Jeep community. Neil a very old school Jeeper says you take care of your own problems. I get that but we were in a unique situation. So now we work on getting back to Cali to get the Jeep then figure out if we go our own ways as we fundamentally disagree on the decision made. The guilt sits heavy with me for leaving the Jeep. My instincts as a mom said get my kid to the airport and don’t take all of us back into the trail with limited supplies and one Jeep. The Mom in me superseded the Jeeper in me. We can all sit back and say we should of done this or should of done that. It’s too late for that now. Now we can only learn from our decisions and make better ones the next time.
Tech Talk With Jeep Talk:
So you want some bass. We can’t blame you, even the Jeep Talk Show sounds a little better thru a well designed system. But you don’t have to go through another mid life crisis, break the bank, or lose your hearing to enrich your sound. And ultimately that’s what we want out of anything we listen to music through, a warm rich sound that isn’t lacking …or in excess of… anything in the audio spectrum. A phrase we used a lot in the industry when I worked in mobile electronics to describe a poorly tuned or designed system was bump and sizzle. The person had a thousand watts going to a trunk full of subs and nothing to back it up but deck power and factory speakers. What that created was a lot of bass (the bump) and nothing but sizzle (the high frequencies). Virtually everything else in the music was drowned out by a poorly designed system. You don’t want to be that person, in many ways. But for most, we would love to add some lower end to our music without sacrificing too much space or budget. So that’s the point of this tech talk, to outline what options you have when it comes to adding bass to your ride and what you need to consider if you do. First and foremost we need a basic understanding of what these speakers are doing and how that affects the listening environment. Speakers reproduce sound by moving the surface of the speaker, the cone, to produce sound waves. The smaller the speaker, the faster the cone moves and the easier it is to produce higher frequencies like a cymbal, a flute, or a bird singing. Conversely, the larger the speaker, the easier it is to reproduce lower frequencies like the rumble of a V8, the kick drum or tuba. They have too much surface area to move fast enough to create high frequencies, but move enough air all at once to create sound we can actually feel. These are subwoofers, and they are what produce the bass you feel in the beat of the music you’re listening to. All the stuff in the middle is everything else, and comprises the majority of the human vocal range. These frequencies can easily be made with mid sized speakers which have both enough surface area to produce a little bit of sound we can feel, as well as some high range, but alone would sound a little muddy. Typically in order to achieve a more balanced sound, the speaker has an accompanying tweeter. A tweeter produces very high frequencies and not much else since they are usually very small. So they compliment a mid range speaker like those typically found in most dashboards and door panels in most cars and trucks. And adding to what you already have with a larger speaker and a little more power is doing the same thing but at the other end of the audio spectrum. And that brings us to another important point. Power. The larger the speaker, the more power is required to move it enough to produce sound efficiently. This is where an amplifier comes into play. Some of the factory premium sound systems in Jeeps came with a small subwoofer mounted either in a back corner or in the bottom of the center console. These usually had a small on board amplifier which handled the need for extra power that the factory stereo, or even any aftermarket stereo just doesn’t possess. Many creative Jeepers will cannibalize junkyards for these factory sub systems and modify them to work in their own Jeeps. Obviously the aftermarket has been addressing this need for decades, and has stealthy, secure, space saving options that can produce good bass, but come at a premium price since they are usually custom designed to work with specific vehicles. As with most aftermarket options, an external amplifier is needed to drive the sub, which may be an enclosure as large as the whole back end of your Jeep if that’s what you want. I’ve seen creative false floor designs in a variety of Jeeps that house multiple subs, and don’t sacrifice much storage area. Tuffy Products has been making additions for Jeeps to keep the subwoofer enclosure inthe back of Jeeps safe no matter what for decades. So even if you can’t find a factory option to fill your bass needs, the aftermarket has enough options to make you go blind. Budget is going to be your biggest factor. An amp can easily run in the $300 range brand new, and you still need a place to put it. You could spend just as much or more on the enclosure and the subs themselves. There is going to be the power cable and necessary signal delivery from the stereo to the amp, and this may require other equipment depending on what you have for a head unit, so you need to factor in a basic amplifier installation kit and those are usually in the $20 to $60 range. Your local stereo shops can always do custom work to fit big sound into small spaces, but this too usually comes with a premium price tag. If you go brand new and name brand… bass can easily run you in excess of 500-700 dollars. There are of course budget variations, off brand gear, and second hand systems. Craigslist is a great source to see what’s out there as is your local facebook marketplace. This will give you an idea of what stuff is worth and what sort of stuff is out there. Don’t be afraid to canvas your local pawn shops too. These guys test all the gear they bring in (usually) and you may be able to find a more trustworthy source of used gear through a shop like these. Lastly, don’t settle for the first thing you come across. Every Jeep is different, as is every set of ears. So make sure you do some research to see what’s out there for YOUR Jeep, and get some time listening to some different systems. There’s another great reason to look into joining a local club. If your area has a large group of Jeepers, then it’s going to be a lot easier to get access to other peoples systems for a demo of what they got and get an idea for what some of this stuff sounds like. You may find you want more wattage and sub than you previously thought.
Newbie Nuggets:
Trail Clean-up/repairs
With the weather finally cooperating, and bans lifted, we are all getting some much needed time in our jeeps. I started seeing lots of posts on social media that several different off-road and jeep clubs/groups were organizing clean-up days or trial maintenance events. Well our club, Bear Valley 4×4 club in So. Calif was no exception. Through our Adopt-A-Trail with the forest service, we maintain three trials up here in Big Bear. Gold Mountain got some much needed fence repairs and of course trash clean-up. I love that jeepers are out and enjoying the trials, and mountains, mud and sand or whatever the views may be. What surprises me is how much destruction off-roaders create. I know it’s typically a few that are ruining it for the rest of us. So I won’t discuss what group I think it may be, but why can’t the trial motto be that IF you can’t get through an obstacle, turn around? Is this an ego thing? Is it, “I have to make it through what my buddies did”, Or “I’ll look foolish if I don’t make it?”. We discussed in episode 430 about basic trail etiquette, like leaving the trail better than you found it and pack it in/pack it out. I don’t think some off-roaders understand the importance of that. Gold Mountain is a black diamond trail that is visited by so many people in So. California and neighboring states each year. It offers some trail challenges, unique terrain, rocks to climb over and views of the mountains and lake. It’s an overall 10 on the scale of WOW factor and it is a Jeep Badge of Honor trail as well. The trial is easily marked with traffic patterns and fences have been installed to keep drivers on the trial. So here’s my first question: Why can’t drivers STAY on the Trail? What is the big deal with staying on the designated trail system? Is it Ego? Is it an embarrassment that your “truck” can’t make it through an obstacle so you decide to cut down the fences and make new paths because you couldn’t or wouldn’t get the proper vehicle, like a jeep, to make it through? We spent a day replacing driven over/bent t-posts and cut wire fences in areas that idiots decided they are too wimpy to make the obstacles and made new paths. These same idiots created a new path that “looks” like a trail to others that also can’t make it up the trail. Once one does it, the rest think it must be OK to do it too! This trail is near the pebble plains that are protected and have 3 species of plant that only grows in this area and are endangered. The forest service could close the trail permanently. All they need is a few more illegal bypasses or traffic on the pebble plains and they will have their justification to shut it down. This is a Black Diamond trail. How come people without the proper set-up vehicles think they can make it through? Not sure there is an answer and as I mentioned I’m sure that most jeepers are not doing this. Again, it’s just the few idiots out there ruining it for the rest of us. My second question is: Why can’t you (especially women) pack out your toilet paper? What is the big deal and why do you leave stuff like that in the forest? Typically we would bury it. Is it that you didn’t know what the proper way to dispose of paper is? Is it that no one told you? Well I’m telling you and here’s a tip: bring Ziploc baggies for the toilet paper. If you have kids you are used to cleaning them up and if you have dogs you are picking up their waste, so why can’t you pack up your toilet paper? And the same goes for diapers, kids wipes and women’s “that time of the month” stuff. It’s disgusting what humans discard. We need to be better stewards of the land and not leave traces of our visit. And now for the beer drinkers out there: first off why are you drinking while off-roading? It’s just a bad idea. Most clubs prohibit drinking while on the trail runs. You can drink all you want off the trail, but drinking on the trail, someone is bound to get killed or seriously hurt with that behavior. But here’s my question: if you brought the bottles in a six pack container WHY can’t you put the empties back in the container? If you brought the bottles in a cooler, WHY can’t the empties go back in the cooler? What is the deal with throwing the bottles, so they shatter and break, in the mountains? Or wherever you off-road? Does it make you a bigger man, or woman? Do your friends think it’s cool to see you toss your bottles like that? Did you ever consider the clean-up it takes to pick up all those tiny broken glass shards? Do you think glass is biodegradable? Did you consider the wildlife animals that get their paws cut walking over your broken glass? STOP IT!!! If you see someone throwing bottles, or trash, ask them to stop. If someone in your group is doing this, make them clean it up. If you are the leader of a group, set the tone and stage to be good stewards. If you don’t want someone throwing trash, leaving toilet paper, diapers or breaking down your fences at your home and driving through your yard, DON’T do it on the trails. This goes for anywhere in the US. Be good stewards! I’m normally a very nice and easy going person but this kind of preventable stuff drives me nuts. Josh, Tammy & Tony anything you want to add? If you want to see the video of the repairs and clean-up of Gold Mountain, check out our YouTube channel. We got so many likes and comments from other jeep clubs offering to help clean up the mountain and other trails it’s very exciting.
Interview with:
Jason Larson – Jason has been working at Tuffy Security Products for 3 1/2 years. He is Tuffy’s Sales Manager and knows just about every detail when it comes to a Tuffy product. In his spare time, Jason always finds himself working on a project. Whether it is turning a wrench or using a saw, his wife jokes that the garage is his second home. Living in Southwest Colorado, he has access to some of the best trails that Colorado, Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico have to offer. You can find out more about Tuffy Security Products by visiting their website at tuffyproducts.com.
Campfire Side Chat:
Some stay away from mud. Some won’t go near water. Some Stay away from sand, (that stuff gets everywhere though, so…) Is there anything or anywhere you stay away from in YOUR Jeep?
Links Mentioned in this Episode:
https://www.facebook.com/tuffyproducts
https://www.instagram.com/tuffyproducts/