Episode 427 – Roy Roger’s Ride is for Sale and It Ain’t Trigger
Please visit our sponsors:
When it comes to upgrading the headlights on your Jeep, there are literally hundreds of options out there. Your stock halogens might be fine and dandy when new but over time, their output will weaken which can lead to unsafe driving conditions at night. To educate those looking to upgrade their Wrangler headlights, Extreme Terrain’s Joe Dick recently published his Jeep Wrangler headlights buyer’s guide video. In the video he installs and reviews several headlight upgrade options, weighing their pros and cons while demonstrating their light beam and color temperature output in the controlled environment of XT’s video studios. https://www.extremeterrain.com/wrangler-jeep-headlights.html
This Week In Jeep:
Here’s a Timely Reference
You know I’m always giving Tony a load of grief for his (sometimes) decades old references he makes here on the show. Dropping a name or a title to something from 20 30 or even 40 years ago or more. So i may get a dose of my own medicine for picking this particular story for this week in Jeep. To a gross percentage of you, the name Roy Rogers probably congures mental images of a coke with grenadine and a cherry on top. Although the drink has led a life of infamy since its invention in the 40’s, the namesake TV show was only around for about 6 years. The Roy Rogers show was an American Western TV series that broadcast 100 episodes on NBC for six seasons between December 30, 1951 and June 9, 1957. For those who remember watching the show you may also remember the iconic Jeep that was in many of the episodes. To many it was one of the most memorable characters on the Roy Rogers TV show. It was a TV icon manufactured from good old American steel and named Nellybelle. The Jeep is a 1946 Willys CJ-2A Jeep with some very innovative bodywork. What made this JEep unique was not it’s stubborn nature to refuse to “get up and go”… but it’s body panels that wrapped around the passenger compartment to shoulder level. It was in fact owned by Roy, but was driven in the show by his comic sidekick, Pat Brady On TV, Pat Brady drove around Mineral City, the setting of the series, sweet talking to Nellybelle as if his verbal compliments could convince the temperamental jeep to get up and go. The name, which was painted on her doors in most episodes, apparently developed out of Pat riding an ornery mule in the earlier movies, and addressing it with phrases like “Whoa, Nelly!” Roy Rogers chose to include a Jeep into the program because he noticed that after WWII, Jeeps were very popular, especially with children. Rogers himself owned a Jeep which he used for hunting, off road cruising and travel to and from his studio. Roy Rogers was one of the most popular actors of his era, known as “The King of Cowboys” … he passed away in 1998 at the age of 87. Today a replica of the “Nellybelle” Jeep is up for sale on eBay. According to the seller, Nellybelle II was built as a promotional vehicle for the program but is identical to the one that appeared on screen. The Jeeps were featured at the Roy Rogers and Dale Evans Museum in Branson, Mo., until it closed in 2010. The original was auctioned soon after for more than $116,000, but sold again in 2018 for just $38,400, according to Hagerty. Nellybelle II is currently in Arizona and listed in running condition with 43,500 miles on the odometer and a Buy it Now price of $29,500. If you’re interested, and if it’s still available, the link will be in the show notes for this episode at JeepTalkShow.com (shout out to Listener Brandon for the topic submission) https://www.ebay.com/itm/264639570113?autorefresh=true
Jeeps are tough, but damn dude, I think you took it a little too far.
We’re just going to file this one under the: “here hold muh beer ” category…. You may have seen the pics make their way across social media. If you’ve seen the pic, you undoubtedly asked, how’d he make it across the street? A young man is recovering in the hospital from injuries he suffered after driving his Jeep off the top of a six-level parking garage in Santa Monica. The man drove off the top level of the public parking structure on 2nd Street near Colorado Avenue shortly after midnight, the Santa Monica Police Department said in a news release. Officers arrived to find his Jeep smashed, but upright and up against a McDonald’s restaurant across the street. I don’t know about you, but I’ve never craved Mickey-D’s so much I would jump my Jeep from six stories up to get to the drive-thru across the street. Two passengers inside the Jeep were able to jump out before it went off the roof, the Santa Monica Fire Department said. The driver, a 20-year-old man from Twentynine Palms, was actually conscious and speaking with officers when they arrived, police said. Firefighters extricated him from the wreckage and took him to a local trauma center, where he was listed in critical condition, the Fire Department said. Police are still investigating what caused the crash. Because the man was receiving medical treatment, investigators weren’t yet able to determine whether drugs or alcohol played a role, police said. The top of the parking garage, The Jeep, AND the McDonald’s all sustained significant damage, the Fire Department said. A representative from Santa Monica Building & Safety was called to the scene to assess the garage’s structural integrity because the damage was so severe to the upper level. Whatever the reason, this Jeeper decided that it might be a good idea to try and Jump his Jeep like they do in Dukes of Hazzard. I don’t care where you are, it’s just a bad idea. Jeeps aren’t meant to be jumped without a significant amount of reinforcement and weight redistribution. What you see the dune buggy’s do and what they show on TV doesn’t depict what it’s like in real life. So if jumping your Wrangler is on your To-Do list, maybe think about buying a junker to try it out on first. And for god’s sake, don’t do it off the top level of a parking garage, and if nothing else, make sure you have the right safety equipment so you don’t crush your spine.
Wrangler Talk:
Dana 35 Comparison.
Hello JTS listener and welcome to this week’s wrangler talk. So, on this week’s wrangler talk we’re going to be covering a question that I got from one of the listeners over this past week and the question is what are my thoughts about a Dana 35 axle. So the question also follows with the gentleman stating that he will only be running a max tires size of 31 inches with a simple trutrac locker. You may know that I can’t really talk too much about this kind of question because I built a Dana 30 to handle 37-inch tires. So, Dana 35 axle is kind of a little brother to a Dana 44 and you know a Dana 44 is kind of the midline axle, that everyone runs in their jeep no matter what. I can say the Dana 35 is a decent axle, although there are some cons to the Dana 35 axle and those cons kind of come to play when we are looking at some of the specifications of the axle itself. The differences between a Dana 35 axle and the dana 44 axle can be very important to a decision you will be making in the near future. So first the ring gear, on a dana 35 axle the ring gear measures 7.62 inches compared to the Dana 44 which measures 8.5 inches and this actually means a lot in the automotive world. When it comes to the ring gear itself this means that there are going to be a different number of teeth on the ring gear and the thickness of the gear tooth will change too. So, if we have a thicker tooth size, that means that there will be more meat to withstand the amount of abuse that it’s going to take when off-roading. Secondly when comparing the Dana 35 to the Dana 44 there is a difference in the spline count. Which Splines are the grooves on the axles shaft that interact with our differential carrier. So the Dana 35 has a spline count of 27 and the Dana 44 has a spline count of 30 which can translate to a big difference in the amount of torque that the axle shafts can absorb and continue spinning the wheels in an off-road condition. Next is the axle tube diameter, they differ a lot from the dana 35 to the dana 44. So the dana 35 has a tube diameter of 2.6 inches where the dana 44 measures 3.5 inches thick. Finally, it all comes down to the axle shaft itself. The axles shaft diameter for the Dana 35 is 1.18 inches thick where the dana 44 ish 1.31 inches this. So, there are a lot of factors to consider and how much wheeling you are going to be doing, also how hard you are going to push your jeep wrangler. Personally, I would go with a dana 44 swap although I do also understand not everyone has the cash to complete such a project so a built Dana 35 could work. Thank you listening to this week’s wrangler talk and remember do you have any question or comments about the show head over to jeeptalkshow.com/contact and we would be happy you out with any questions, comments, or concerns you may have, and talk you next week on the wrangler talk.Hello JTS listener and welcome to this week’s wrangler talk. So, on this week’s wrangler talk we’re going to be covering a question that I got from one of the listeners over this past week and the question is what are my thoughts about a Dana 35 axle. So the question also follows with the gentleman stating that he will only be running a max tires size of 31 inches with a simple trutrac locker. You may know that I can’t really talk too much about this kind of question because I built a Dana 30 to handle 37-inch tires. So, Dana 35 axle is kind of a little brother to a Dana 44 and you know a Dana 44 is kind of the midline axle, that everyone runs in their jeep no matter what. I can say the Dana 35 is a decent axle, although there are some cons to the Dana 35 axle and those cons kind of come to play when we are looking at some of the specifications of the axle itself. The differences between a Dana 35 axle and the dana 44 axle can be very important to a decision you will be making in the near future. So first the ring gear, on a dana 35 axle the ring gear measures 7.62 inches compared to the Dana 44 which measures 8.5 inches and this actually means a lot in the automotive world. When it comes to the ring gear itself this means that there are going to be a different number of teeth on the ring gear and the thickness of the gear tooth will change too. So, if we have a thicker tooth size, that means that there will be more meat to withstand the amount of abuse that it’s going to take when off-roading. Secondly when comparing the Dana 35 to the Dana 44 there is a difference in the spline count. Which Splines are the grooves on the axles shaft that interact with our differential carrier. So the Dana 35 has a spline count of 27 and the Dana 44 has a spline count of 30 which can translate to a big difference in the amount of torque that the axle shafts can absorb and continue spinning the wheels in an off-road condition. Next is the axle tube diameter, they differ a lot from the dana 35 to the dana 44. So the dana 35 has a tube diameter of 2.6 inches where the dana 44 measures 3.5 inches thick. Finally, it all comes down to the axle shaft itself. The axles shaft diameter for the Dana 35 is 1.18 inches thick where the dana 44 ish 1.31 inches this. So, there are a lot of factors to consider and how much wheeling you are going to be doing, also how hard you are going to push your jeep wrangler. Personally, I would go with a dana 44 swap although I do also understand not everyone has the cash to complete such a project so a built Dana 35 could work. Thank you listening to this week’s wrangler talk and remember do you have any question or comments about the show head over to jeeptalkshow.com/contact and we would be happy you out with any questions, comments, or concerns you may have, and talk you next week on the wrangler talk.
Jeep Life:
Living Simple
Back in 2013 when I first bought my Jeep, I was going through a life change. I was a stay at home mom and my kids didn’t need my attention as much. When I first became a mom I gave 159% of my attention to my kids. I neglected myself which was a mistake, but I can’t go back,so I learned from my mistake not to neglect my needs…so as they grew older I found myself struggling to find myself again. What did I like? who was I? and what was my passion? As I began self reflection, I discovered a long lost love, my passion from when I was a kid, writing and photography and the outdoors. With the purchase of my Jeep I discovered a new passion for off roading and overlanding. During this self reflection I also discovered the joy of living simply. Living Simple also became a way to live stress free for me and free up time to do the things I enjoyed. While I was on my adventure last fall I realized how easy it was to live even more simply than I had been. Now I am truly living simply. I live in a 6 foot by 10 foot slide in camper. I left most of my possessions back in Maryland so my kids can maintain the home they grew up in. I actually don’t miss the house. I miss my kids, but not the stuff. I have one pot, one pan, two towels, two sheets, one comforter, my clothes, 4 plates and 4 sets of silverware. I certainly don’t have the chores I used to have. I am learning I can live with less and still enjoy life. There are still struggles but it has nothing to do with needing stuff. In my opinion I believe our society is obsessed with stuff. We have to make money to buy more stuff. It’s a vicious circle. Even Jeep stuff. I have been getting rid of it. Do I really need Rubi rails and rock sliders? No… Do I really need shelves when I have nothing to put on them? It’s really actually freeing not to have so much stuff. Even with the little I brought with me I’m still reducing my stuff! To me Jeep Life means enjoying my time and doing the things I love, experiencing life not living in a box, driving a box to go to work in a box so I can buy boxes of stuff.
Tech Talk With Jeep Talk:
To Sleeve or To Truss…that is the question.
In fact the question of “how do I make my axle stronger without breaking the bank” is one that gets asked quite a bit in the JEep world. And for good reason, strengthening your axle can improve your Jeeps capabilities, making it stronger, able to run larger tires, and giving you a little more confidence when in precarious positions. We’d all love to be rocking dana 60’s but most of us don’t have the budget let alone fabrication skills to get axles like that under our Jeep. So what’s the next best option? Why making what you have as strong as possible of course. A lot of what you do to increase your axles strength comes down to two main factors.; how hard do you wheel, and what’s your budget? If you’re running 35’s or even 37’s but you don’t ever wheel hard, then your choices may be different than someone who is only on 33’s but wheels the snot out of their Jeep in deep rocks all the time. Obviously the needs of these two are different enough to warrant different approaches to beefing up the front axle. A Jeeps front axle is relatively strong by itself, and does well for what most Jeeps will encounter while engaging in moderate offroading. Once we get into larger tires, more extreme offroading or rock crawling, then the forces on the axle exceed what the engineers had intended it to see. So which is better sleeving or trussing. Actually, they do two different things, and that’s where a lot of people get confused. There are many reasons an axle shaft will break, but excessive radial torque, and hyperflexion are the two main causes. Too much torque from the engine on an axle shaft connected to a wheel and tire that are completely bound up will oftentimes result in a broken u-joint or shaft. Hyperflexion comes when the axle tube bends or deflects more than the shaft can resist and BAM, broken shaft. The best thing to guard against radial torque is to strengthen your shafts through cryogenic treatment, or by swapping them out for chromoly shafts. But we’re here to address all that flex the axle housing sees, and there;s more going on there than you realize. Axle sleeves are basically precision tubes of steel with specific measurements to precisely fit inside the axle tubes of your Jeep. They usually have such a tight fit that they need to be pounded in by a hammer. Often times these tubes require you to drill holes into and thru your existing axle tubes to weld them in place further increasing their added strength. However, sleeves are only good for about a 20% reduction in overall axle flex. What they do a great job of is almost completely eliminating the possibility of a crushed axle tube. It can happen, come down too hard on a rock just right in the wrong spot and all kinds of bad things can happen with that much of the JEeps weight coming down on one area. Sleeves also keep the center of gravity low on your Jeep by adding unsprung weight down low, further preventing your chances of a rollover by a few percentage points. Sleeve kits are relatively cheap too, with price points starting at under $100. Trusses however, are where the serious strength comes in. Where sleeves are an internal reinforcement, an axle truss is an external reinforcement for the axle housing. Trusses almost always require welding to be installed right. In fact I don’t even know of a bolt on axle truss, and even if there was one, i wouldn’t run that to save my life. Honestly for the money, you just can’t beat the added strength of a truss. Providing anywhere from 100 to 300 percent in added strength, axle truss kits can run anywhere from around $100 to over $300 in some cases. Some truss kits are only a couple pieces of bent steel specifically designed for specific axles. Others are more universal, and still others maybe 20 or 30 pieces that all fit together like some sort of twisted jigsaw puzzle. Regardless of the truss, it’s going to need to be welded in by a professional, or at least someone who knows what they’re doing. You’re putting two different kinds of metal together, cast, and forged, and the temperatures required to do this right without bending the crap out of your axle take a skill set many don’t have. The good thing is that if it’s done right, you get unparalleled strength of your axle for a fraction of the price of a full axle swap. And did i mention that sleeving or trussing can be done to either or both of your Jeeps axles? Many companies offer both front and rear truss kits to give that matched look. There is one other area that many people neglect when it comes to strengthening your front axle, and that’s the C’s. The “c’s” of a front axle are the ends of the axle tube where it flanges out to a large “C” shape. This is where the ball joints get installed and what the knuckles mount to. The C’s will flex just as much as the entire axle tube itself, and is a common weak point for most Dana 30 and Dana 44 front axles. The good news is that a small pice of steel called a gusset can be welded across the open part of C’s dramatically increasing their strength and resilience to flex. So how many places do you think you have to go to get all this stuff? There’s more good news here. This is an area of the aftermarket with a lot of demand so there are several reputable places to get what you need. Obviously the builder sites like Ruffstuff and Ballistic Fabrication will have the bare essentials. But companies like Extreme Terrain, Quadratec, 4Wheel Parts and others have put together kits that offer things like sleeves and gussets all in one package. Synergy Manufacturing has what they affectionately call their “Front Axle Assurance Kit” … which comes with axle sleeves, inner-C-gussets, and even lower control arm skid plates too! As far as other places to source things like trusses, just hop online and start searching. You may get a little overwhelmed at first, but we can always help guide you. Some of the big players in the axle truss word are Artec Industries / JCR Offroad / TNT Customs / Rough Country / Rusty’s. In the end, go with what fits your budget, your build, and your wheeling style. There’s never anything wrong with overbuilding your Jeep, but there;s no sense in going broke doing it if you can get similar results in other ways. I hope this helps, and if you end up beefing up one or both of your axles using any if these methods, be sure to let us know what you’ve done and what you think about it.
Newbie Nuggets
This week we are discussing “How to get out on the trail”. How do you find the trails when you are starting out? You got your new jeep and unless you know where the trails are, how do you find them? When we started we had no idea the names of the trails, or clubs, or events to search for. I spent hours on google trying to find the right words to use in searches just to find events. My husband Bill had enough off-road experience to know we couldn’t do extreme off-roading without a buddy and we really didn’t know anyone that was out blazing the trail. There isn’t one list of ALL the events in the country – that would be awesome, but it doesn’t exist that I am aware of. I know a lot of people like to “blaze” their own trail and not follow any roads, but there are reasons to stay on a designated trail – which I will cover in a future episode. But for now, here is a list of suggestions on how to get out on the trail;
1) Go with a buddy that knows an area. Use their knowledge to learn trials, routes etc. This is the easiest and quickest way to learn about trails, BUT one day you may want to venture outside your comfort zone and try new areas.
2) Forest maps/Trail maps – Pick up local OHV and Trail maps for your area. Our forestry department has maps of designated trails that include color coded difficulty levels. BTW Maps should be on board at all times – add it to your jeep gear.
3) Google local events. Use search words like “jeep event” or “off-road event” or use your city or area like “Big Bear jeep” and see what comes up. This should give you some leads to follow. Our first event we attended was sponsored by an off-road group (Cal4wheel). They work to keep and preserve the desert trails around here. I found this event because a local jeep club I found in my search was attending and helping. This event had multiple trails to choose from based on our jeep set up – and back then we were so brand new we had to ask what the trail designations 1-5 meant. Hey, that’s how you learn. Everyone was helpful we ended up on a medium (3) trail and we were hooked!
4) Look up event organizers in your area, like CORVA (Calif Off-Road Vehicle Assoc. https://corva.org) for us in California is huge. They work to keep our trails open to off-roading. Their events can be 1 or 2 days and you can choose the trail you want to try based on your jeep set-up and experience. NOTE: these “events” will have a checklist of basic equipment that you need in order to participate – check out episode 426 for my basic list that will get you started.
5) Look up jeep clubs – search using your city and “jeep clubs”, or “4×4 clubs”. Most clubs have some requirements to join but it’s only to make sure the members actually get out on trails and use their jeeps. NOTE: most of the clubs allow non-members to join on runs – that’s how they can get new members. Early on we met with a club out of our area and got to do a very difficult trail (at that time) that today is a regular trail for us. We got experience with others sharing their knowledge. Clubs do offer valuable resources and information and we will be discussing it in a future episode.
6) Look for out–of-state for runs. This might include a camping trip with your jeep (or camper, or hotel) but it could be an option if your area doesn’t have great trails. Living here in Big Bear we are so fortunate to have destination trails we don’t need to go anywhere else, however, we do find ourselves exploring other areas off the mountain and it offers a change in scenery and obstacles too.
7) Rent a Jeep – If you don’t have your jeep yet, but you want to get out on the trails, you can rent a jeep. Some cities may have jeep rentals like we do in Big Bear with the Jeep Experience (https://bigbearjeepexperience.com). You get to drive a jeep following a guide. It’s a great way to learn about the trails, the area and you get to explore while driving so when you get your jeep, you know where to go.
Hope we gave you some suggestions on how to find trails and get out and explore this beautiful country. And now it’s time for Josh’s first jeep experience… Next week we will continue sharing newbie ideas and we will hear Tammy’s first jeep experience. You can also view some great videos on our YouTube channel Jeep 4-1-1 (https://www.youtube.com/user/backcountrydriver) with lots of tips, tricks & techniques.
Must Have Stuff for your Jeep:
L.T. Wright Handcrafted Knives
I remember back when we had L.T. Wright handcrafted Knives as a sponsor. I told Tony and Josh I didn’t get the fascination with knives. And why was a knife company advertising on a Jeep Podcast. Well Last fall I finally realized the importance of a good quality knife and the connection with Jeep. I always thought Isn’t a knife just a knife and why is it so important? During our adventure last fall, Neil and I had the opportunity to test out knives from L.T. Wright Handcrafted Knives. Neil was really excited to be working with them, but I never understood people’s fascination with knives. That all changed after that month long journey. Neil and I were each given a personal knife. Neil picked the Bushcrafter, and myself the Camp Muck. Wow, using this knife totally changed my outlook on a good quality knife. I don’t leave home without my knife now. Mainly because I’m afraid of being attacked by some wild animal here in Colorado. Ha just kidding. I never realized how handy the knife comes in. I used to carry a pocketknife in my glovebox. Not a very safe knife to be using because it’s not very sharp and the blade is not solid. And it could fold back on you if you don’t use it right.
Jeep Weather:
Howdy Jeeper, Mitch here, today is the 6th of March 2020, and it’s time for your weekend Going Topless-Jeep Weather Report. Alright listener, I was searching for places to go topless this weekend. Then I remembered that tonight is the SpaceX Falcon 9 Commercial Resupply Service-20 (CRS-20) launch to the International Space Station (ISS) from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on their SLC-40 pad. So, this week’s Jeep weather will go to important space ground sites. This weekend, especially tonight, go topless and watch the launch. Cape Canaveral, Florida will be mostly cloudy with 70 today, 62 tomorrow, and 71 on Sunday. Another popular launch site is Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. Just outside the coast town of Lompoc, with plenty of opportunities to go topless and cruise in comfortable temperatures. Today will be cloudy and 58, tomorrow will be maybe rainy and 58, and Sunday will be 60 with clouds. Next, is the first ever, purpose built commercial spaceport. Out near Truth and Consequences, New Mexico and the U.S. Army’s White Sands Missile Range is Spaceport America. Out there will be some good topless Jeeping weather. Today will be 66, tomorrow 73, and Sunday some rain at 64 degrees. Lastly, lets take that top off and Jeep around the NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. Getting cloudier through the weekend with today being 71, tomorrow 64, and Sunday 72 degrees. Don’t forget to use the #JeepTalkShow on social media, also don’t forget to tag @JeepTalkShow and me, for us to see those Jeeping Topless pictures. If you have any suggestions or want to know YOUR local weather in an upcoming episode. Then find me on Instagram @jeep_out_west or go to JeepTalkShow.com/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:
Reno Off Road Motorsports Expo
Fri, Mar 27 – Sun, Mar 29
Reno-Sparks Convention Center, Reno, NV
More Info: http://www.lockettshows.com/off-road-and-motorsports-expo https://www.facebook.com/RenoOffRoadandMotorsportsExpo/
Easter Jeep Safari
April 11th – 19th
Moab, Ut.
More Info: https://www.rr4w.com/
Links Mentioned in Episode 427:
https://www.youtube.com/user/backcountrydriver
https://bigbearjeepexperience.com
https://corva.org
https://www.extremeterrain.com/wrangler-jeep-headlights.html