Episode 413 – Highlands Ranch Shooting Hero Kendrick Castillo Update
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ExtremeTerrain, This Weeks Jeep Talk show is brought to you by ExtremeTerrain, Wrangler off-road parts and accessories outfitter. Stay tuned to hear about Merideth Evasew’s Jeep Bumpers Buyers Guide video on how to choose the right type of front Bumper for your rig!”
This episode of the Jeep Talk Show is sponsored in part by: Black Magic Brake Products, they build Big Brake Kits for your Jeep! BlackMagicBrakes.com sells Direct Bolt-In Vanco Big Brake Kits with Black Magic Brake Pads and NEW Steering Knuckles. Find out more by visiting Black Magic Brakes dot com, that’s Black Magic Brakes dot com.
This Week In Jeep:
Spy Pics Of Grand Wagoneer Released
You know we pretty much have our proverbial fingers on the pulse of the JEep world. So when there;s buzz of spy photos being leaked of what could be the new upcoming Wagonner or Grand Wagoneer, that you are going to be some of the first to hear about it. We’ve actually known for a while that Jeep is bringing back the Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer nameplates, and we now have our best look yet at what the proportions are of this new full-size, three-row Jeep SUV. Based on the few photos that were released this week by the camera ninjas at Car & Driver, we can speculate that it’ll be built upon the Ram 1500’s platform going off the sheer size of this thing. It’s unclear what the difference between the Wagoneer and the Grand Wagoneer models will be, but if the rumors are true, then the relationship between the two might be akin to the Tahoe and Suburban, with the Grand Wagoneer serving as a long-wheelbase version of the standard Wagoneer. OR…It may just be a matter of trim level, with the Grand Wagoneer backing up what many are thinking will be a six figure price tag. Either way, the vehicle we see here under heavy camouflage appears to share some styling with the current Jeep Grand Cherokee, as we can see the headlights and taillights beneath the camouflage are similarly shaped to those found on the grand.
The Grand Cherokee, too, is getting a redesign soon, and it might arrive before the Wagoneer, so what we see now, may just be bolted in place to keep it road legal. Not the first time we’ve seen franken-Jeeps tooling around the test track or in Toledo under heavy blankets. As far as what is going to be powering this new behemoth of a Jeep, well that too can be derived from the platform it’s being built on. Since it shares its frame with the Ram 1500, it is likely the same engine options will follow. That would make the standard engine a 3.6-liter V-6 with the e-Torque hybrid, and those wanting more grunt, the 5.7-liter V-8 Hemi will be the more powerful option. Both engines will probably be paired with a ZF eight-speed transmission and either rear-wheel drive or four-wheel drive options. A rumored all wheel drive option has been thrown around in some circles too. Regardless, one of the big unknowns at this point is whether or not retro wood paneling on the outside of these will be an option too. All we can do is hope. Jeep has said that the Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer will begin production in 2021, so we can expect to hear lots more about these new models in the coming months.
Kendrick Castillo Update
A story we covered in May has some further developments. It’s not often we get stories that choke us up or have us diverting from the funny all that often. But this was one of those stories that not only was hard for me to write, but difficult to read at the time too. You may remember the story of a young enthusiastic Jeeper by the name of Kendrick Castillo. He was the 18yr old boy who in an act of sheer heroism, tackled a would be gunman as he entered Kendricks classroom intent on murder. Kendricks act of bravery allowed other students to get to safety, and for the gunman to be tackled and detained. Unfortunately, it also cost brave young Kendrick his life. The life of his parents, Maria and John Castillo obviously hasn’t been the same since that fateful day in May. As a way to cope with the loss of their only child, the couple has been finding ways to hold on to Kendrick’s memory, and make a statement at the same time. The two drive Kendrick’s Jeep as long as it’s running well. They say it gives them comfort to be in it. Kendrick’s mother, Maria says It feels like her son is next to her when she’s in it, and she can still smell him in the Jeep when she gets in.
Kendrick’s father, John, said: “When we get out of his Jeep and we walk away, he’s with us. When we come out, he’s there waiting for us, that’s what this Jeep represents,” The two also write messages on the Jeep’s windows. They change the messages out regularly to share their feelings to the community, and they range from notes of hope, to frustration, to remembrance. They also put up different cardboard posters in the windshield when they park the Jeep displaying different messages about gun safety, and the call justice, and for measures to keep kids safe in their own schools. On Saturday, November 30th, there will be a “Jeeps and Taps” event benefiting the Notre Dame Catholic School Scholarship Fund in Kendrick’s honor at Max Taps brewery in Highlands Ranch, Colorado from 1 to 8 p.m. If your able, we encourage you to show up, Kendrick’s Jeep will be there, and folks are encouraged to bring their Jeeps, too. With his vehicle, they hope their son’s memory will live on.
Sat. November 30th “Jeeps and Taps” event benefiting the Notre Dame Catholic School Scholarship Fund
Max Taps brewery in Highlands Ranch, Colorado from 1 to 8 p.m.
https://www.maxtaps.com/
Radio Comm Tech:
This is Jon and today we are going to talk about your communication options. The most common option is CB, however other options include GMRS, FRS, MURS, PLMRS, and ham radio. Some do not require a license, some do. There are a couple of questions you will need to answer in order to help guide you towards the radio service that may best serve your needs.
1. Who do you want to talk to and what are they using?
2. Do you ride with a group, various groups, with a few friends or alone.
3. Are you wanting trail/convoy communication or to be able to reach out for an emergency as an example?
Trail/Convoy comms: CB is probably still the most common form of communication between off road groups and is still required for many organized events. MURS (no license) is another option, though it is not widely used. GMRS (license required) is slowly gaining in popularity and it also communicates with FRS (no license) handhelds so they can also be used for those without GMRS or for spotters. Ham radio is also suitable for trail comms in addition to emergency comms and it is versatile, but for those groups that don’t want to take the ham test and get licensed (as easy as it is) then GMRS is a suitable alternative for trail/convoy communication. PLMRS also operates on frequencies close to ham radio VHF and UHF frequencies and best serves a dedicated group. Contact outside your group/Emergencies: If we are discussing 2 way radios only, then ham radio without a doubt. There are many hams, repeaters, and linked repeater networks across the country. Many times someone is monitoring, even if you don’t hear any traffic. Ham radio is also capable of APRS which can be use for tracking your vehicle, sending SMS test messages/emails, getting weather reports, etc though much of this does require infrastructure and is not always 100% it is a useful tool to have in addition to voice communication. A PLB or Personal Locator Beacon is also a valuable emergency tool. If you ride with groups you will probably want to use what they are using, however after this segment you may want to convince them to upgrade. We’ll discuss the specs and the pros and cons of each radio service on upcoming radio comm tech segments.
Jeep Life:
Recap of the T.A.T Adventure Part one of Jeep Momma & Neil’s Adams Xtreme Off Road Adventure. I quickly learned what it means to the adventure lead you. We started out with throwing all plans out the window and winging it. The first part of the trip was on the East Coast driving along the Trans American Trail. You can follow the day by day journal on my blog at www.Jeepmomma.com
Interview with:
Jared Oldham, Jeeper, Overland Enthusiast, Outdoor Adventurer
Jared has been a Jeep fan his entire life. His first Jeep was a 2004 Jeep Wrangler. Now he owns a 2012 Jeep Wrangler. Over the past few years he has been exploring trails and backroads all over Utah documenting it on his YouTube Channel. Backroad Exploration.
Tech Talk With Jeep Talk:
Driving a Jeep or really ANY vehicle with one headlight pointed toward the ditch (or the sky, or the other lane) is worse than annoying – it’s actually dangerous. Blinding the vehicles coming at you is never a good thing, as they can drift over into your lane, and clip you head on. No fun. Oh sure it looks neat when in dense fog you have a lightsaber coming off the front of your Jeep pointing out into outer space. But not properly illuminating the road surface in front of you can lead to an accident in the right circumstances. All it takes is a minor fender bender, some light trail damage, or even a change in ride height or stance to alter the aim of your Jeeps headlights. Fortunately, headlights feature adjusting screws that make it easy to fine-tune the aim of the lights… if you know how to use them. And if the setting on my mirror is any indication, there are MANY of you out there that have no idea what I’m talking about. Adjusting headlights on virtually any vehicle is so easy anyone can do it. And all it takes is some masking tape and a screwdriver. It’s so easy in fact it calls into question the intellect of those douche nozzles driving bro-dozers with 18” of lift and 52’s with 4 shocks in each corner and not one red cent towards a screwdriver to adjust those headlights. Ok, enough ranting, let’s get on to some adjusting. Some vehicle manufacturers want to make it easy on you by including a leveling bubble in the headlight assembly. This is not unlike a carpenter’s level and can often can aid in the adjustments. Be advised though, this is for use on vehicles that are at factory ride height, and haven’t had any modifications made to the suspension. Many adjusters are accessible under the hood, while some can be accessed through the headlight bezel itself. The difference that properly-aimed headlights makes can be amazing if you’ve gotten used to driving with headlights pointed in different directions. All it takes is four simple steps to get your Jeeps eyes pointed in the right direction.
Step 1 – With the Jeep on level ground, pull up to a large flat wall. The side of a warehouse, or a large brick and mortar building work well.
You’re garage door might work if your driveway is flat and long enough, but the building method usually works best. You’re going to want the Jeep’s front end as close to the wall as you can get it, Like with the bumper almost touching. All while being perfectly perpendicular, or square to it.
Step 2 – With masking tape, (that blue painter’s tape works great or gorilla glue duct tape works real good too,) put 2 crosses on the wall that correspond with the vertical and horizontal center lines of both headlights with the low beams on.
It is also a good idea to mark the centerline of the Jeep too. This will help with side to side alignment later if its needed.
Step 3 – Move the Jeep back 25 ft., keeping the Jeep centered with the tape crosses on the wall. It’s important that you remain perfectly square to the wall, and that you move as straight back from your starting point as possible.
And yes, the 25 feet needs to be pretty accurate too, so make sure you have a tape measure handy.
Step 4 – Examine the light pattern and make the adjustments. The Low Beams should be hitting the lower right sections of the crosses. If they’re not, use the horizontal/vertical adjusting screws to aim the headlight beams two inches below and to the right of the taped center lines. This would be a good time to adjust left to right to correct for any damage to the front end of your Jeep potentially forcing the light out of alignment.
Now, you can adjust the high-beam hotspots. Turn on the High Beams and they should split the cross hairs you have on the wall. Here’s a tip if you’re running high wattage lights. You may find it easier to block one headlight with a towel or a sweatshirt draped over it, and make these adjustments one light at a time. And there you go! You should have a good grasp now on how to align your Jeep’s headlights properly. Next week, we’ll go over head light basics, what the difference is between the different types of bulbs out there, what’s good and what to stay away from, and what all that fancy terminology really means.
Must Have Stuff for your Jeep:
Rancho RS62125 Rear Shock and Control Arm Skid Plates for 18-20 Jeep Wrangler JL – $151.99 – Free Shipping
Adding a pair of Rancho Rear Shock and Control Arm Skid Plates provides the protection needed to keep your shock and control arm mounts from taking damage. Installs easily using existing bolt holes from the control arms and shocks. A red powder coated finish over the ¼” thick low alloy steel resists corrosion and scrapes while gliding over obstacles easily. Installation can be done in the driveway or garage with simple hand tools.
https://www.quadratec.com/p/rancho/rear-shock-and-control-arm-skid-plates-jeep-wrangler-jl
Jeep Weather:
Hey Jeeper, Mitch here, today is the twenty-ninth of November 2019, and it’s time for your weekend Going Topless-Jeep Weather Report. I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. I intentionally got snowed in up in Northern California for it, started snowing Tuesday at lunch, nothing like going topless and hot tubs in the snow. On to the weather! Let’s find someplace warm to go Topless in, how about Miami, Florida? Bust out that canvas bikini top, sunscreen, and your cruising shades. Sunny with maybe some clouds, Friday 80, Saturday 79, and Sunday 82. Just because it might be cloudy, doesn’t mean you won’t burn your nuts off. Hey look at this! Outside Fort Benning, Home of the Infantry, is Columbus, Georgia. I went to basic training here way back when and they are having decent weather this weekend. Show your support to some new soldiers and go Topless here! Friday will be 69, Saturday 72, and Sunday rain with 66 degrees. Lastly, we went topless up here in South Lake Tahoe, California. Lots of snow is planned with 25 Friday, 30 Saturday and 36 for Sunday! Not to brag but I survived that drive and the heaters work well! If you have any suggestions or want to know YOUR local weather in an upcoming episode. Go to JeepTalkShow.com slash contact in order to find all the ways to get a message to me. I’m Mitch and its always great weekend to Go Topless if you’re brave enough! Just Go Topless responsibly.
Wheeling Where:
Brush Beaters Jeep Club – Wheeling 4 Toys
December 14th
Kansas Rocks Recreation Park, Mapleton, Kansas
More Info: This great event is held the second weekend in December every year. The sole purpose of this event is to gather hundreds of toys and distribute them to needy kids throughout the area for Christmas. Fun is also on the agenda as they provide expert guided trail rides, a hot lunch and a fabulous drawing for great prizes. Another great event with the benefits going to a wonderful cause promises to give these kids a warm heart and a big smile on Christmas day. It will definitely warm your heart as well.
http://www.ksrockspark.com/
https://www.facebook.com/KansasRocksPark
Southington Off Road – Open Trail Ride
December 14th
Garrettsville, Ohio
More Info: http://www.southingtonoffroad.com/
(This park is doing a big Black Friday run this weekend too)
Links Mentioned in Episode 413:
ExtremeTerrain.com – Bumper Selection Video
https://www.extremeterrain.com/wrangler-jeep-front-bumpers.html