Episode 398 – Why You Never Wheel Alone
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This Week In Jeep:
FCA Cures Death Wobble – maybe.
It’s amazing what the threat of a major lawsuit can do. Fiat Chrysler recently revealed that it has finally engineered a fix for the infamous “Death Wobble” that has allegedly plagued owners. While FCA has claimed the issue doesn’t affect vehicle safety, most people who’ve experienced it disagree, hence the class action lawsuit.
Anyway, the fix is shockingly simple, which leaves all kinds of questions. The top most would be if the fix is so simple, why did it take so long to get to this point? FCA says it will install new steering dampers of stabilizers in Jeep Wranglers that need it. Owners will start receiving announcements in the mail as soon as this Friday, so make sure FCA has your current address if you believe your Wrangler could be involved. In a recent press release, FCA chief technical compliance officer Mark Chernoby states that with the original steering damper, air bubbles would form within the unit, and in cold weather, the oil in the damper thickens up making it harder to dissipate the air. The new steering dampers is designed to let that oil move more freely, helping it dampen out the vibrations more quickly. Not everyone is excited about the proposed fix. The class action lawsuit filing even names the steering damper fix, saying it’s a “Band-Aid” that doesn’t actually solve anything. It goes on to claim the problem ((QUOTE)) “can only be remedied by substantial revisions and repairs to the suspension. Still, FCA is asking the court to dismiss the federal class action lawsuit in light of this proposed fix. What FCA may not be calculating is that this news could scare off potential Jeep Wrangler shoppers and anger current owners. With Ford getting ready to launch the Bronco, the Wrangler might not enjoy the same kind of unchallenged dominance it’s enjoyed for so long. IF you would like to learn more about death wobble, it’s symptoms, and how to fix and avoid it from happening to you, go back and listen to Episode 393 and our interview with Dr. Death Wobble himself.
Legal Advice – Folding Windshields
Many Jeep enthusiasts are aware of most of the design changes in the 2019 Jeep Wrangler. One of the highlights that stood out during the unveiling of the new Wrangler design was finally a truly easy to operate folding windshield. Although virtually every iteration of the Wrangler came with a windshield that folded, it wasn’t always an easy task to accomplish. Let alone practical. Who wants to drive home after a full day of wheeling with the windshield down only to catch every rock, bug and drip that found its way into your path. Eating bugs at 65 miles per hour doesn’t sound like fun to me, nor does driving my Jeep home wearing a full face helmet. But many out there want to know if this can be done legally, even if it’s not something any of us would likely do.
So, a fellow Jeeper pulled over a Minnesota State Trooper and before being tazed asked him the law regarding folding windshields. For years there have been arguments over whether or not the law specifies what the rule is when you have a windshield, but the factory designed it to fold down. So to many Jeep owners, the law is kind of grey in this area, and we are all curious to see how the State Patrol approaches this law or rules for highway use. According to the Minnesota State Patrol at least, when it comes to a windshield in a passenger vehicle, you are required to have one.
Under Minnesota State Statute 169.468 it states, the commissioner has adopted federal motor vehicle safety standards, which is where it states a windshield is required (in the federal law.) For the purposes of a Jeep’s windshield being designed to “fold down from the factory” this is (QUOTE/UNQUOTE) “for off road use only”.
Motorcycles may or may not have windshields, but even when they do, they do not meet legal requirements, and a rider must wear eye protection: face shield, goggles, or glasses. You can avoid a ticket — and a crash — if you simply buckle up, drive at safe speeds, pay attention and always drive sober. Seems like good advice, straight from the long arm of the law. Granted, highway regulations do change from state to state, so there MAY be a loophole in your specific area. But to play it safe… just fold it up before you hit the asphalt.
Double DIN Android Head Unit in XJ/TJ:
Tony talks about the 20 year old entertainment system dying in his 1998 Jeep XJ and his purchase and installation of a Android head unit (double DIN) in a one and a half DIN space! Stay tuned for more information as he completes this project in the XJ and moves to doing the same mod in his wife’s 2003 TJ.
Wrangler Talk:
Jeep Momma’s Epic Off Road Adventure! There are a lot of things to get done between now and then. First, I need to prep my Jeep. It needs to be my home away from home for a month. Second, planning the route. We are excited to be able to meet up with fellow Jeepers we have met through social media. Our first stop will be in Virginia at the home of a Jeeper I met on YouTube.
Interview with
Shelly Campa. Shelly, a new Jeep owner, went wheeling in her new 2019 JL back in July (2019) was enjoying her adventure when she first got lost on the trail, then stuck 
trying to find her way back to modern civilization. We find out what happened, and what went through Shelly’s mind during the 30 hours she was missing. Don’t miss this interesting interview.
Tech Talk With Jeep Talk:
Glazed And Confused – Why Your Brakes May Not Be Performing As Well As They Should
As we build our Jeeps, they typically get bigger. They get taller, they get wider, they even get meaner looking. But one thing stays true across all this, and that is building a Jeep to improve its off road capabilities almost always means adding weight.
Bigger tires means, more weight. Bigger bumpers, (more weight) rock rails, armor, a winch or maybe two of them, the spare tire carrier, heck the spare tire itself! (all heavier now then they were when they were stock.) From the roof rack to the rubber, just about every aftermarket upgrade and mod we do to our Jeeps adds weight.
We compensate for this by modifying the engine to produce more power. We change the gear ratio in our axles. We do everything but start taking stuff off to shed weight. I’ll be damned if I’m giving up MY winch bumper. So we live with the decrease in fuel economy and the stiffer ride and the inevitable decrease in braking power…..
That’s right, don’t act like you haven’t noticed. Over time, all that weight and added mass takes a toll on the stock braking system. You may notice that a brake job happens a little more often now, or that you have to press a little sooner on the brake pedal, or press it a little harder now. Braking performance is almost always compromised when doing things like lifts and tires size increases. So what do you do? Well there’s a hundred different ways to modify your brakes to increase performance. But lets say your not quite there yet, and you want to squeak every last drop of life out of the brakes you have before spending good money on another Jeep mod. One of the most common things to happen to Jeep brakes after switching to larger tires, and adding a bunch of weight is that they your brake pads will become glazed over. If there isn’t anything malfunctioning in the whole mechanical process of the brakes on your Jeep, but you’re sure something bad is going on that is causing you to press a little harder on the pedal, chance are, your brake pads are glazed. Glazing is where the brakes have been heated to the point that the material within the brake pad actually hardens and smooths to the point that it becomes glazed like a mirror, and can no longer create effective friction against the rotor. The only way to confirm that the pads on your Jeep have been glazed, is to disassemble the caliper assembly to remove and inspect the pads. And trust me, it’s not as hard as it sounds. To understand what glazing is though, let’s first go over how a modern disk-braking system works real quick. It is comprised of three main components: a rotor, pads, and a caliper.The rotor is the disk itself. Generally constructed of nodular iron for its durability and heat absorption qualities; it is what absorbs the conversion of mechanical power into energy in the form of heat.
Pads are the friction element and the most disposable component of the braking system. These are what clamp down directly on the rotor in the braking process and create the conversion from mechanical power to heat energy. These can be made from non-metallic materials all the way to fully metallic or can even be ceramic. The third final and biggest component to the braking system is the caliper itself. The caliper is what provides the mechanical force of the whole assembly, acting as a giant, hydraulic-powered clamp to squeeze the brake pads against the rotor. This is done through a piston, or multiple pistons in larger brakes inside the caliper’s body. Brake fluid is applied via the user’s pedal from the master cylinder. The master cylinder then distributes brake fluid at the requested pressure through the brake lines to the calipers.
The fluid enters the piston and applies its pressure to the surface of the piston, causing it to expand and create a clamping motion on the brake pads and rotor. Simple right? Ok, so now that you have a basic understanding of how the braking system works, and how the pads became glazed in the first place, we can address what to do about it.
You can temporarily relieve the symptoms of glazed pads by removing the brake pads and sanding their surface so that they are no longer mirror smooth again, thus once again providing friction to the rotor. This is by no means anything but the most temporary of solutions and if not done correctly, can actually make things worse. Even though filing or sanding on the pad can can create more surface area and rough things up again, you can do this unevenly, and now there would be even less surface area contacting the rotor. You’ve essentially taken away even more of your braking power. Despite that, the pad’s material overall has already been tempered by heat and the only real way to fix this is to replace the brake pads entirely. One thing i recommend to any Jeeper who is about ready to face the task of a brake job, is to make improvements and don’t cheap out. Braking is by far one of the most critical functions of the Jeep. So why buy the cheapest possible components for a system that is so important? It doesn’t make sense especially if your Jeep is a daily driver. Look, i’ve been there. No body wants to pay top dollar for parts that we know are going to wear out eventually. But going with a higher performance high friction set of pads from companies like EBC Brakes, may completely solve your poor performing brakes. If you are feeling that the performance of your braking system is not where it should be, break out the tool box and inspect your brakes. Not only is this a great way to learn how the components of your vehicle work, it is also a great way to save money. Many automotive shops charge hundreds upon hundreds of dollars to complete brake work when you can do it yourself at home in your driveway with nothing more than a set of hand tools, some creativity and your favorite Spotify playlist.
From the Mind of Nicky G:
NickyG calls in to share the wisdom that only he posses, and it’s for good reason. 😀
Wheeling Where:
Big Dogs Offroad – Big Dogs Main Jambo
When: September 6th -8th
Gore, Virginia
https://bigdogsoffroad.com/
Open to the public, Raffle: Winch, Hi-Lift, tow straps, and more, T-shirts, Night runs, 3 day event, Saturday night Bonfire party, Roll over Jeep, Teeter-totter, turtle race, RTI ramp, 3 day event
Summers End Bash
September 13th – 15th
Purcell Trench Ranch – Bonners Ferry, Idaho
https://www.mountain-mafia.com/
All trucks and side-by-sides welcome. Beginner to Expert hills, trails, rocks. Massive 3 acre mud play area. Hill-n-Hole jump track. Slick Wall, Mud Racing, Food vendors, night wheeling, family friendly event.
Links Mentioned in Episode 398:
http://mountainreporter.com/missing-person-located-in-horse-thief-flats/
Redrock 4×4 & Extreme Terrain 5k Parts Giveaway – https://www.extremeterrain.com/redrock-4×4-jeep-wrangler-parts.html
Nexen Tire Roadian MTX
Don Alexander Jeep 4×4 School