Episode 496 – We Pick On You Because We Like You

This Week In Jeep

Flooding Hits Jeep Plant Hard 

You guys have undoubtedly heard in national news that there are parts of this nation that are seeing severe drought conditions, and others seeing just the opposite. As a result of severe storms that came through Detroit on June 25th, much of the area experienced significant flooding, including Jeep’s Jefferson North Assembly Plant and the adjacent shipping yard. Water from the plant has been removed and the shifts will be resuming on a delayed schedule. An assessment is being conducted on the condition of vehicles in the yard, but it is clear there are many that will be a complete loss. There were several incredible videos and pictures that came out through social media showing the degree of flooding across the shipping yard. Some Jeep Grand Cherokees (WK2’s) can be seen with water just up to the tires, others had water up to and past the floorboards. In yet other videos, you can barely see the roof of other Jeeps. The news comes as a tough pill to swallow, with the semiconductor shortage hitting automakers hard. With many of the vehicles on the lot having so many varying degrees of flood damage, it’s sad to say that lots of the semiconductor chips used for these new vehicles, now damaged, are likely going to have to be wasted.

Time will tell how devastating of a blow this will be to Stellantis and of course to Jeep.

Big thanks and a stout Jeep Wave goes out to listener Jerry for suggesting this story.

Even Loki Himself Has To Be Upset

Ok so who out there likes the Renegade. Not you Cody, no one? Ok, so there’s at least one Jeeper out there that likes the Jeep Renegade enough to talk about it. I’m sure there are others, but since the “cute-ute” arrived on the scene six years ago, there hasn’t been a huge explosion of aftermarket support or extreme modifications. For comparison’s sake, let’s look at the JK line of Wranglers six years into its life. Yea. ‘Nuff said. Ok, now given the choice of a Marvel-themed special edition, would you be more inclined to drive one? I totally missed the Batman-themed “Dawn Of Justice” Renegade from a few years back, but if you consider yourself a bigger Marvel fan than a DC one and you just so happen to live in Italy, you may be interested to learn Jeep is coming out with a Loki-themed version of its compact SUV there. I don’t know why it’s only going to be available in Italy, maybe Loki is way more popular in Italy than in the country the movie came from. But like in true Jeep fashion, the executives in charge of making the design decisions, completely dropped the ball. Or in this case, got the color of what the ball was supposed to be completely wrong. Way to go Jeep.  I’m not the poster child for Marvel fandom by any stretch of the imagination. I just so happen to like the entertainment value of superhero movies and grew up watching cartoons of many of the characters in them. But even I know that Loki is a dude known for his eccentric green and gold outfits, costumes, uniforms, whatever you want to call them, there is always Green in them. This Renegade is blue. It might as well have been red and have a giant S on the hood for how off the mark this is. If you’re still interested in the Jeep that you can’t get here in the states and is the wrong color for what it is, The Loki Renegade can be had either in either a turbo diesel Multijet or as a 4xe model, where the all-wheel drive will be an available option. It will be based on the Limited trim with the Function pack, so buyers get conveniences like folding electric side mirrors, extra room to store things under the front passenger seat, and a reversible, waterproof cargo mat that’s easy to take out and hose down. It’s also got 18-inch rims, which are pretty large for the little Renegade. So what makes it a Loki? I have no idea. I think they forgot to read that memo too. It’s like a 4th-grade report on a reptile known as a Gila monster that I just completely failed. Why? Because I used my imagination to come up with what I thought a Gila monster was instead of going to the library and looking it up. I’m not seeing any unique badging on the vehicle in the released renders, which is a little surprising considering even the Batman/Superman-themed Renegade had a nifty batwing crest on the tailgate.

Maybe Loki personally requested the electric side mirrors and cargo mat; look, he’s a bad dude, but he appreciates practicality and convenience just like the rest of us.

 

 

 

Jeep Struck By Lightning On Freeway

It happened in a fraction of a second… a bolt of lightning strikes a Jeep as it drives through a storm. Nathan and Sarah Vanderhoof and their three daughters were inside the vehicle when their Jeep was hit by lightning during a Kansas thunderstorm. The bolt left a hole in the door handle

, and the car was left on its last legs. The family says they are lucky to be alive, and that they didn’t know what was happening until it was already over.

Newbie Nuggets with Wendy

When to call it quits

At what point do you stop a jeep mod or repair it and send it to someone else to fix? I see posts all the time when a Jeeper is working on a problem or “fix” and it seems to take so long that they don’t get out on the trails.

So when is it time to call it quits? How long will you work on a problem? Till you find the solution? Or figure it out? Or do you try a few times and then send it to someone else to figure out? OR do you phone a friend? Exactly how long will you proceed?

I asked Bill this same question recently. You may recall in episode 493 I shared our 25-hour insane invitational trail run and at around 1:00 am in the morning our transmission line came loose and puked fluid all over the trail. Bill managed to get the line “plugged” back in and we finished the remainder of the 14+ hours thinking the line was secured back into place.  Before this run and getting ready for the grueling trails, he discovered that there was a small, tiny leak in the flexible part of the transmission lines – maybe about a drip 1x a week – not much but it caused dust to collect, and as you know a tiny leak does one day become a major issue. Not wanting to have a failure on this big run, he ordered new transmission lines, and being handy and knowledgeable, he uninstalled the old lines and reinstalled the new lines. Piece of cake, or so he thought. He did have an issue with getting the metal clip that fits around the push fitting that holds the indented transmission line in place at the transmission fitting. And that darn clip kept “springing” off causing all kinds of issues trying to “find it” since it didn’t fall to the ground. Noooo it had to “fling itself into the abyss somewhere between the skid plates and a cross member… YES, when I say issues that is an understatement. The new line may be a bit too long and won’t “seat” deeply enough into the fitting so the metal clip (which he has lost several times and wasting time to locate) won’t clip on like it’s supposed to. He finally got the line in the best he could and thought it was fixed and we proceeded on our 25-hour journey.

Then fast forward to a week after that run, he is running into town and I get a call – “Come collect me and the jeep, I’m puking fluid again”. We get him limped back home and he reinstalls the lines and does some additional research -which he is very good at BTW. He orders a new push fitting that screws into the transmission body from the auto parts store to solve the issue. This new fitting should solve the issue and it has a new metal clip!

We waited a full day for it to arrive at the auto parts store and we picked it up just as they closed as the new part was shipped in from another location. Bill takes it home and installs it early the next morning. It good thing because we have a run planned that day with the Redlands Jeep dealer to take newbies out on their first trail run and we need to get this fixed. Guess what? The new part he got won’t screw into the transmission case, the threads just won’t start correctly and he doesn’t want to cross-thread or foul up the transmission housing. I wasted time on that part and research! After some time, and Bill using words that don’t normally come out of his mouth, he decides he can take the clip from the new fitting and install it on the original fitting and screw it back into the transmission. Newline still won’t seat deeply enough so he decides to trim the hard-line a bit and make it fit –but we have to leave for the run, he has to do it later.

We did the run and I rode with Don, plus as a bonus, I got to drive his jeep –  Man was that an awesome ride. Sidenote: If anyone ever asks you if you want to drive their jeep –Say YES!

As it turned out, Bill rode with Scott, the parts manager of Redlands Jeep, and brought up the rear of the trail ride. Now as all jeepers do, when you wheel you start talking and Bill ends up telling him about our issues and what do you know, turns out Scott knows a thing or two about jeeps. Sometimes having an “issue” turns out to be just what you need. Had we had our jeep on this run, Bill may not have had the conversation. So Bill ordered new MOPAR transmission lines from the dealer – I know we normally try not to buy from dealers but Scott took care of us and we ordered a new factory tranny cooler too, which was on our list and desperately needed. We are still waiting for the parts, which should be in this week.

So after the run, Bill trimmed the transmission line and what do you know, it still doesn’t fit, add a few more choice words and losing the stupid metal clip, well you get my drift.

Bottom line, Bill put the old line back in so we could at least drive the jeep while he waits for the parts to arrive. But I do have to ask, at what point do you give up, or do you ever give up? For Bill it’s a challenge that he enjoys, trying to solve the mystery as it were, except for the interesting vocabulary he apparently has, he thinks he solved it. Maybe! We will have to wait and see when the new lines come in. He did mention that he compared the old lines with the recently purchased lines and there is a slight difference in the length on the end where it seats into the fitting. The old ones being correct, snapped right back into place with no issues. Who would know that brand new after-market lines would be slightly different and NOT work? When you get a new item, you have some level of expectation that it is the correct part. Just like the part we got at the auto parts store, it’s supposed to be for our jeep, make and model, but NOOO it doesn’t fit.

So whether you wrench yourself and try to learn new things I think it’s safe to say that every project will take longer than expected, it will cost more than you thought and it’s OK to phone a friend. Better yet, have the friend come over in the first place and maybe it can get resolved before becoming a long-drawn-out process. But that’s what jeeping is all about – learning

Tech Talk with Jeep Talk

Slow Moving or Hard To Roll Up/Down Windows

Jeeps go offroad, that’s what we do with them, right? Let me ask you… have you ever been the third or fourth Jeep in a line of rigs offroad? Yea, it can get real dusty, and all that dust, grit, and trail always seems to find its way into all kinds of places. One of those places trail dust always seems to build up in is the window tracks. Having years of trail dust and road grime built up in the window tracks can create drag when you try to open or close the window. That drag can damage the window regulator cables, or wear out internal components of the regulator itself. Even put excess strain on power windows and scratch the tint. Replacing these mechanisms can cost several hundred dollars and can be a royal pain in the butt if you don’t know what you’re doing. And don’t get me started on the cost of tinting windows. You can avoid the problem entirely by lubricating the window tracks often with spray silicone or dry Teflon spray lubricant. 

Lower the window and shoot the spray right into the front and back window track. Apply enough lube so it drips all the way down the track. Don’t be stingy here, really get it in there and use plenty of it. This will not only help with the lubrication but will also help flush out that debris. Once the tracks are all lubed up,  operate the window through several open and close cycles to spread the lube along the entire track. Use a glass cleaner and a paper towel to remove any spray that lands on the glass. Here’s a bonus tip… Don’t have paper towels? OR donut want to use them? I don’t blame you. Paper towels typically leave lint behind. Little microscopic bits of paper towel get left behind as you wipe. To eliminate this and get better cleaning and wiping power, try using a piece of wadded-up newspaper. Just the plain old black and white stuff. Don’t try and get tricky with the advertisements. The glossy paper isn’t going to do much but leave stains on your fingers. Don’t try and use the same piece of newspaper for multiple windows though, as they tend to break down pretty quick and you’ll hate trying to pick up wet newspaper confetti more than wiping away paper towel dust. I’ve been using newspapers to clean auto windows, the windows at home, and the mirrors in the bathrooms for decades. Give it just one try and you’ll be hooked too. Besides, it’s a great way to reduce reuse and recycle. 

Must-Have Stuff Pick-of-the-Week for your Jeep!

ATP 2″ JEEP RENEGADE LIFT KIT – $599.99

https://renegadeready.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=8882248&search=lift+kit

Ok, this week I’m picking this particular vehicle to showcase a product for because if I don’t, I’m afraid I’ll be assaulted by one of them in a Walmart parking lot with the crocs they’re wearing. So this week, I have picked the one thing that is a mandatory modification that any Renegade owner will need (if they want anyone to take them seriously.) And that is the ATP Jeep Renegade Lift Kit. Specifically in the largest flavor, they offer, which is 2 inches. All of ATP’s kits are designed to meet the performance demands required by off-road enthusiasts while maintaining the factory ride and stability.

The 2” ATP lift kit for the Jeep Renegade is:

100% Bolt-On, Fits all 4WD Renegade models including Sport, Latitude, Limited, and Trailhawk models. It’s made of premium 6061 T6 Aircraft Billet Aluminum & 1018 Cold Rolled Steel. It allows for up To 30 inches tall tires (with Inner fender modification.) Come is an anodized black finish to help provide outstanding corrosion resistance. Comes with all mounting hardware, and a Limited Lifetime Warranty. Made in the USA.

Campfire Side Chat

What’s your favorite trail snack? 

Everybody likes to snack, what do YOU grab for when you’re off-road?

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Links Mentioned in this Episode

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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Rat Bastards Facebook Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/ratbastard

Rat Bastards Webpage https://ratbastard.lol

North Bound Expeditions Inc. https://www.nbexpeditions.com/