Episode 447 – Jeep Stories Galore!
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This Week In Jeep:
Say Goodbye To The Grand Cherokee As You Now Know It.
The current-generation Jeep Grand Cherokee (WK2) will continue for one more year as the automaker continues to prepare a pair of successors. Jeep is planning on sending off the large SUV with a unique 80th Anniversary Edition model. This continues the trend the automaker set in 2016 with the Grand Cherokee 75th Anniversary Edition model. So what is going to make this so special? Well, Jeep is going to start with the Grands top of the line Limited trim and then build and improve from there. Currently there are no specifics to what the package will actually offer. Jeep has been playing things pretty close to the vest this year… However, if we look back at the last Grand Cherokee Anniversary Edition model as an example, we can expect things like a unique front fascia and grille. Perhaps Jeep will reuse the low gloss bronze accents, or introduce all new exclusive seats, badging. That will likely be the least of it… if we know Jeep. Whatever trim or luxury upgrades are in store for the 80th Anniversary Edition model, you can be sure they will impress…. But from what I can tell so far, don’t expect anything too crazy like a 707 Hellcat horsepower upgrade. The new anniversary edition model will join the Grand Cherokee’s other core trims like the Trailhawk, Overland, and Summit, along with the rest of the lineup. The next model year will also see the SUV get redesign. The entry-level Laredo trim will have new 18-inch wheels, for example. The Limited and Limited X models will receive a new Sun & Sound package that includes a dual-pane panoramic sunroof and a nine-speaker Alpine audio system capable of off road camera upgrades using Alpine’s offroad line of electronics and audio accessories already available. When the next-generation Jeep Grand Cherokee does arrive, it’ll also feature two- and three-row interior layouts, allowing the model to compete against the Ford Explorer and other large SUVs. Powertrain details remain anyone’s guess, but interested buyers should expect some hybridization options soon if not right away. Initially we thought we would see the new Grand Cherokee for the 2021 model year, though Jeep canceled the Detroit Auto Show reveal and has yet to announce the reschedule date. So thanks for that too covid!
Do YOU Have a Jeep Dog? …Do You Have THE Jeep Dog?
There’s a lot of things in this world that just seem to go together better than anything else; Peanut Butter and Jelly, Music and Sunshine, Dirt and Rubber, Jeeps and Dogs, My hand and a winning lottery ticket… Ok maybe that last one is more wishful thinking than anything, but seriously, dogs love Jeeps. Maybe it’s the open air, or that Jeep owners seem to go outdoors more, or maybe it’s they just smell a superior vehicle, i don’t know. But I’ve never seen an unhappy dog in a Jeep. Well now your Jeep loving pooch has the chance to be the official canine representative for the Jeep brand. Fans can post pics of their pups with the hashtag #JeepTopCanine on Instagram and Twitter, or upload an image to www.JeepTopCanine.com, until Monday, August 3rd. Dog lover or not, any Jeep loving individual can also visit www.JeepTopCanine.com at any time to check out all the “good boys and girls.” Voting for the eight possible finalists will be open from August 11-18, so make sure to go back and visit again to cast your vote for the winner then. Jeep’s 2020 Top Canine will be crowned on National Dog Day, Wed. Aug. 26th, 2020 The most Jeepiest pup will be crowned the Jeep brand’s “Top Dog” and will be featured in exclusive Jeep brand social media content for one year. That’s right, your Jeep doggie is about to become a world famous icon. For more information on the #JeepTopCanine search, visit https://jeeptopcanine.com/
Tech Talk With Jeep Talk:
I can See Clearly Now….
Don’t get me wrong. I’m all for doing things as inexpensively as possible without compromising the quality of the end product… or going full redneck in the process. But one of the things that I keep seeing or hearing get thrown around is bad advice for headlight restoration. Toothpaste is not a good idea, neither is chocolate or peanut butter or anything else you grabbed from the kitchen or bathroom for that matter. And here’s why. Toothpaste is just a paste that contains a fine abrasive (usually pumice) designed to help scour plaque and food off your chompers. This means that toothpaste should hone, grind, and polish off all the crap and road grime from the surface of your faded, old-looking plastic headlights too, right? Well yes and no. Although on paper the science tells us this will work, in reality, all you’re doing is adding a million micro scratches to the lens, which over time will add to the yellowing and will actually attract and hold water instead of repelling it. Not every Jeeper has to worry about this, and in fact, most Wrangler owners are probably laughing and putting their feet up as they hit the fast forward button. But for other Jeep owners and all those Wrangler owners who have other cars in the driveway, this may be of some importance and use. Just about every automotive wax and polish company this side of Jupiter is manufacturing, marketing, and selling headlight restoration or polishing kits. And the reason why is there is a huge demand for these products and there are a lot of people out there who try to skimp out by using beauty products in automotive applications and are having to fix the results. Getting back to the science of this, toothpaste may have the grit to knock down oxidation buildup or road grime, but it is lacking the polymers and UV shields that these other products have in them. And although some of the more extreme restoration kits will actually have a two or three stage polishing compound, it’s these final stages and a polymer filler and coating at the end that smooths out all those millions of micro scratches into a smooth clean water repellent surface. Toothpaste can only go so far, and will have you working harder to undo what you’ve done to get the lens back to as clear as it was the day it was made. Not all products are created equal, and in my experience, the ones that are simply a wet sponge in a tin foil packet dont work for crap. These simply have a mild acid in them that melts the micro imperfections of the surface of the plastic and leaves a pseudo layer of protective film behind that will not last past a couple of washes. In the end I can’t recommend any one product for any and every headlight out there. The level of oxidation, the amount of UV damage and what sort of road grime and other buildup that’s on the lens is going to vary too much from region to region. I will say this though, you probably can’t go wrong with either the Sylvania Brand Headlight Restoration Kit, or the 3M Brand Headlight Lens Restoration System. Both of those have long lasting reputations in various automotive circles for products that work and results that last. Consumer reports recommended both these products over all others in 2016 – 2018 and they usually don’t get stuff wrong. Here’s the bottom line, if its “ease of use” is what they are marketing, it’s not going to work as good, and the results don’t last as long as a product that requires a bit of elbow grease.
Newbie Nuggets:
The Beast
The experience you get from owning a Jeep isn’t just about exploring trails, meeting new jeepers and modifications. It’s all that and more. The experience you get from jeeping can come in handy when you get a call from a friend in need. Our 4×4 club in Big Bear does all kinds of trail runs from easy fire roads to black diamond rock crawling. And from time to time someone may need assistance. Well our friend Shelby has always been one of those people you can count on for help. He drives a 1990’s surplus military blazer he calls The Beast. It’s a diesel that he has thrown Dana 60 1-ton axles in, with hydro assist Ram steering, on 40” tires. It’s a short wheel base but a great “go anywhere” rig that is topless and set up for crawling. The Beast has pulled people out of some crazy situations from simple obstacles to black diamond trails. One time on a night run with our club another jeepers drive shaft broke mid-way through a couple mile long trail. The Beast pulled him through the rest of the obstacles and I can tell you that was some spotting challenges for me. It was dark, late and we had two vehicles connected by a short strap, climbing through tough obstacles including sharp turns. Great experience for me as the spotter and Shelby was a trooper for pulling him through. He always steps up to help where needed Well it was time for me to return that favor. Shelby called two weeks ago when he was heading up the mountain in The Beast towing his military trailer with steel supplies for a project. It was a very hot day, around 102 degrees down below and the engine was heating up so he pulled over to let traffic by and let The Beast take a break. Next thing he knows is that his rig is on Fire! Yep full blown engine and front end on fire. The tiny fire extinguisher we always talk about needing to have on board was no match for this inferno. Sad to say The Beast was destroyed. He might be able to save the rear axle and other rear end parts but what a devastating thing to happen, to anyone. Shelby LOVES his Beast. That was NOT part of his plans that day. Turns out AAA would flat tow The Beast up the mountain but not the trailer, unless he wanted to pay $800. His trailer has a pintle eye hitch and he didn’t have any other options to get the trailer home so he called us to use our flatbed trailer to put his trailer on. Bill was off the mountain working so I went into rescue mode and hitched up the flatbed trailer to the Chevy and headed down to the scene with a friend of mine in the passenger seat. After the Beast was towed to his house, Shelby and his wife Belinda drove our jeep down – after all, we needed the winch on the jeep to get his trailer on our flatbed trailer. This is when I was excited to put my winching skills to use. I have seen and used the winch on trails to move jeeps, rocks, downed trees and we have also used the winch at home to move huge eucalyptus logs off the trailer for firewood and we used it to move a huge loaded tool shed on the property. This experience had me primed and ready to tackle this new challenge: Getting his trailer on our trailer. I jackknifed our trailer so I could use the jeeps’ winch line to pull Shelby’s trailer up onto our trailer. It was like auto pilot for me – all the training and experience just kicked in like I was a pro. I got the soft shackles out, the tow strap and connected the points of his trailer with the strap, then let the winch line out, and secured it all together. After making certain everything was safe and people were out of the winch line swing zone, I began to winch his trailer up the ramps and onto ours. It must have been a strange sight for passing drivers to see three women and one guy hoisting the military trailer up onto our flatbed trailer. I can’t imagine what must have gone through their minds. It was so easy to get that trailer up with the tools and equipment we had. We secured his trailer with chains and chain binders in a well-orchestrated 20 minutes and we were on our way. The funniest part of this adventure was after we got to Shelby’s house and dropped his trailer off, using his tractor, I now had to turn around to get home. He lives on a narrow dirt road with no exit – one way in, one way out and I have a lifted crew-cab long bed Chevy truck on 37’s with no real turning radius and I’m towing a 16 foot trailer. Oh Boy, now I needed my trailer backing skills to kick in. It was dark and hard to see fences and bushes. I had to remind myself that I have backed up horse trailers many times and this would be no different. After a few stabs at it I got the right line up and Yee Hah, I turned that rig around. I can tell you I slept very well that night. I’m thankful I had the skills and the mindset to help a friend out. It goes to show you that we all learn something on the trail that can come in handy at other times. I am also thankful for my ability to “go into action” when needed with a calm presence. I’m sure Bill’s skillset and mindset have rubbed off on me. Bill says I’m a good student!! Update: The Beast is totaled and Shelby is dealing with the insurance company. He isn’t sure what he will do to replace The Beast. It was a love of his to tinker and build. I am secretly hoping he liked driving our jeep off the mountain and perhaps would consider a Jeep in his future. No matter what he decides, we can’t wait for him to get back on the trails with us and we will miss The Beast. Josh, Tammy & Tony any skills you learned on the trail that came in handy off the trail?
Interview with:
Harry Lewellyn, from Coyote Enterprises – Internal beadlocks and automatic tire deflators.
https://www.coyoteents.com/
https://www.facebook.com/CoyoteEnterprises/
Campfire Side Chat:
Have You Or Your Jeep Even Been A Victim (or cause) of Vandalism? A viral video going around this week (here) shows a pissed off (probably former) girlfriend breaking into a Jeep and setting it on fire. (getting blown on her ass in the process) Has this ever happened to you? Or were you the one holding the match? Time to tell some stories or relive some nightmares!
The JTS hosts along with the following sat around the virtual campfire this episode. Thanks for joining us!
Links Mentioned in this Episode:
https://www.facebook.com/CoyoteEnterprises/