Episode 459 – Trail Braking, Wire Loom and Free Stuff!
This episode brought to you in part by, ExtremeTerrain! Be sure to check out the latest episode of ExtremeTerrain’s Throttle Out YouTube Series where host Merideth Evasew selects her top 5 Wrangler mods you should consider for your JK. Since the JL and Gladiator are currently taking a lot of the spotlight, this video will appeal to owners of the longest-running Wrangler generation since the CJ.
This Week In Jeep:
Close Call For This Jeeper’s Passenger in Colorado
I think Tammy has been where this Jeep once was, and if I remember correctly, I scoffed at her response to the trails up there. Now I take it all back. And here’s why… They say things happen in threes. Jeeps apparently are no exception. First it was that jeep on a bike trail in California that damn near had to be rescued by helicopter. Then it was the snowflake spotted Jeep on a hiking trail, and now we have this. This week, pictures have been coming out showing – what is left of – a red Jeep Wrangler who had a passenger and two dogs in it while it was parked on one of those steep and rather narrow Black Bear Pass Trails as it winds up through Bridal Veil Falls. The driver was outside of the Jeep helping another vehicle, when all the sudden, the edge of the trail gave way and the Jeep started sliding. It only took a second before the Jeep was in full tumble. The passenger, 23 year old Suzie Rhodes was ejected from the vehicle, as were both dogs. The Jeep rolled too many times to count, and crossed over several switchbacks, falling hundreds of feet in elevation down the mountainside. The Jeep is literally unrecognizable. Suzie Rhodes had to be airlifted from the mountain and sustained a laundry list of severe injuries. She was taken to St. Mary’s Hospital in Grand Junction, where she underwent an intense surgery on her spinal cord. Thankfully to the skilled team of surgeons there, she is in stable condition. One of the dogs was missing for a couple days, but has since been recovered. Neither animal suffered any serious injuries. Black Bear Pass outside Telluride Colorado is no joke. I made fun of Tammy as she recounted her experience up there, chocking it up to her fear of heights more than anything. This is not the kind of terrain that you take lightly, as clearly it doesn’t take any action from you or other motorists whatsoever for things to go completely sideways on you in a heartbeat. Accidents happen offroad all the time, and when they do, in places like this, they aren’t exactly fender-benders. So please, this winter. Take it easy out there and above all else, be aware of your surroundings no matter where you wheel. Look for how the runoff has eroded the trail, look for fractures in the hill side, and keep an eye out for possible rock slides, or leaning trees that are at odds with gravity more than they should be. It doesn’t take but a second for you to miss something out on the trails that could very well change your life forever. So be safe, have fun, and stay vigilant.
New Towing Accessory For Jeep Gladiator
If you’re like me, then there’s a good chance you have your eye on the Gladiator. Jeep’s mid-size pickup that is just utterly blowing the competition away. I love the possibilities a Gladiator affords. That is if you can afford one to begin with. From a capable trail rig, to an amazing overlanding platform, the Gladiator seems to have it all. And when it comes to towing, Jeeps pickup truck can get the job done. And one of the jobs the Gladiator was marketed as doing well was the job of towing. In fact one of the first in-print pics of the Gladiator was showing it towing a flatbed trailer with an old school full size Wagoneer on it. That immediately had most of us daydreaming of towing our Jeeps with another Jeep. Super cool right? But the questions immediately surfaced… is it really that capable, and is it safe considering its still just a midsize truck. Well, if towing is your concern, Mopar has you covered with a new factory accessory trailer brake controller. While a midsize pickup might not be the ideal towing rig for every application, a factory-backed brake controller provides peace of mind to those who use their trucks… as trucks with any sort of regularity. And for just $299, it’s relatively inexpensive peace of mind. The new trailer brake controller is easily integrated into the Jeep Gladiator’s instrument panel. Installed in a blank panel in the dash, in front of the transmission shift lever, the round controller knob provides a consistent look and feel with the vehicle’s interior. In other words, it looks more like it belongs and less like it was an afterthought. And in the event you are lucky enough to own a Gladiator already, YES…this new controller CAN also be retrofitted into Jeep Gladiators that are already on the road. To get yours contact your local dealer today.
Newbie Nuggets:
Obstacle got you thinking?
Have you ever approached an obstacle and found yourself trying to make the decision to go around or OVER? (if around was even an option). If you are new to Jeeping, I’m sure you’ve asked yourself these questions? Is my Jeep set up enough? Will there be body damage and how much? Do I need skid plates? Will I tip over?! Along with these questions, there may be others like: If they did it, can I do it? Or Do I have the skills yet? All good questions and as a newer driver, wise questions. But honestly what is the deciding factor of when to tackle an obstacle? When you are new to driving and you are out wheeling (hopefully with others) and you come across an obstacle that looks like a challenge? What do YOU do? I think the best answer is to get out and take a look at the obstacle. Look at where you want your tires to go. Look where you DON’T want your tires to go. Then look at your line and see what and how you need to get over it. I would also look at the line from the jeeps perspective and also from farther down the trail looking back at the jeep’s line. This gives you two perspectives. Maybe watch someone else go over it and hopefully they have a similar jeep in body style, length and set-up. Watch what they did or didn’t do right and determine how you would approach it and why. As long as you have some modifications to protect your jeep, there really isn’t much that can go wrong – well sort of. If you keep your skinny pedal lightly covered and your left foot on the brake, and you watch your spotter then mostly it will be a piece of cake. Remember, sometimes a little bit of tire spin is ok and sometimes necessary. But, a lot of wheel spin is a good way to break axles or drive shafts when that spinning tire finally hooks up. SNAP! Keep in mind that even stock jeeps are set up to go boldly through the trails, however, it’s our skinny pedal, ego and pocketbooks that may not be set up. I always say that no matter the obstacle if you don’t feel confident yet to tackle it, DON’T. There is no shame in a bypass or turning around. The accomplishment of getting over an obstacle can be very rewarding and increase your confidence on tackling other more difficult trails. We are fortunate here in So. Cal has so many types of trails that we can start out on very easy trails and move up to medium and eventually black diamond all relatively close to each other. Here’s a quick list of things to consider before tackling that obstacle: What type of Jeep do you have and how is it set up? How long or short is it?Have others with the same size Jeep been over it? Do you have lockers – do you need them? Do you know how to use them? Do you have body armor (underneath and rock sliders)? Is this the first time you have driven OVER an obstacle? What type of obstacle is it? Water, vs rocks, vs ruts, vs mud? Have you aired down enough to get your sidewalls flexing? Do you know how far your Jeep can lean to the side before it tips over? Can you operate the gas and the brake at the same time? When the day comes to try something bigger, or different, don’t be afraid. You just never know the possibilities and things you can do unless you take that first step (I mean obstacle).
Tech Talk With Jeep Talk:
Anytime you add some wiring to a vehicle, it’s a good idea to protect said wiring from, well, pretty much everything. The protection helps keep the new wiring clean and safe, but ultimately, it makes things just look cleaner, and helps make that new wire run look more like a factory loom, then a hack job. Wire loom, or corrugated split loom comes in fractional sizes in ¼” increments. Starting at ¼” diameter, perfect for a single 10 gauge wire run or a bundle of about 6 primary or 16 gauge wires. From there we go up and I’ve seen split loom as large as 3.5” in diameter …but that stuff looks weird in a vehicle, and chance are, you’re not doing a wiring job that big on any vehicle, and even if you were… it would be better to break up that loom into smaller ones to help better identify circuits. There are all kinds of wire loom out there. Some look like the end of a spiral notebook, and then there’s the stuff that resembles an old phone cord. There’s even a mesh in tube form that they sell as wire loom. ALL of those are hard to work with, and don’t offer the protection, aesthetics or ease of use that corrugated split loom does. Split loom is very easy to work with, even when it’s cold, and it’s cheap too! Usually costing less than 50 cents a foot, whole rolls can be purchased on amazon for next to nothing, so it’s affordable and easy to keep a couple sizes around for various projects. Add a little heat shrink to the ends for a real OEM/factory look, and you’ll be dressing things up in no time. So remember, the next time you add in something like an amp, an alarm, some auxiliary lighting or anything where you are running an exposed wire, consider wrapping it up with some split loom for a more professional finished look.
Jeep Life:
Hey everyone! So Answering Wendy’s question from last week… Sadly, I have not been ducked. However, years ago probably 10 years ago, we had a duck addiction at my house. There was “good behavior” program at my son’s elementary school. Good students would get ducks. My kids were so obsessed with them, they wanted to collect them. They found out you could buy these ducks on Oriental Trading. We probably had over 200 ducks. I don’t think we have that many anymore. They just saved their special ones. I ended up selling them on Ebay. Josh You were so correct about learning so much from Junkyard lifts. This past year that’s what I have been doing… learning so much about Junkyard builds and lifts. Tony mentioned bastard packs. I can tell you I know what those are and have seen them in action. We did that to our YJ. We took the top 2 leaf springs from an S-10 Blazer cut the eyes off and installed them in the YJ. They added 1 and a half inches of lift and stiffened the springs to work with the SOA Spring Over Axle. Junkyard builds have helped me understand more of how the Jeeps work. I am really enjoying it. We are working on another YJ now. Now a big shout out to Chris one of the Zoomers in the Zoom Room. He shared with me how he liked my Top 5. That has rejuvenated my YouTube Video Ideas. You would be surprised how many people like those videos as well as my How To’s. There are a lot of folks out there thanking me for my How To use those Ten Thousand dollar buttons in my Rubicon – you know the ones – the sway lock and axle lock. A lot of folks had no idea how to use them. It’s a good reminder that a lot of people buying Jeeps are like I once was. I knew absolutely nothing about Jeeps, or off roading, or anything mechanical in a vehicle when I first bought my Jeep. Go check out my YouTube video for more Top 5’s and How To’s. You can also download previous episodes of the Jeep Talk Show for them as well. On You Tube just search Jeep Momma. Okay Back to this week’s Top 5. My Top 5 Recovery Items I have actually used the most on the trail. These will be in order. The use of these items is not just getting my vehicle out of a situation but me helping other vehicles or even to loan out the items to others getting their vehicles out of sticky situations. It’s what you do out on the trails. It’s like everything in your Jeep or off-road vehicle is considered community property. For the most part I have found Jeepers and off roaders are very generous people. Let’s start with Number 5. My Tree Saver The first time I used it, I was so excited because I was able to loan it out to other Jeepers in need of the tree saver. We used it several times on the Rubicon Trail. Another time it was used by our Jeep group on a Virginia trail. We came across a lone Jeeper stuck in a big mud puddle… I mean HUGE mud pit. We had to use the tree saver, winch and snatch block. Number 4 Rachet straps These have come in so handy when parts start coming off your Jeep while your wheeling hard in the rocks. Number 3 My Winch Yes Tony a winch is necessary. I have used my winch several times to help others out of sticky situations or through and obstacle. I have used my winch once to get myself up an obstacle. Number 2 Recovery Strap Before my winch I used my recovery strap so many times for myself and other Jeeps. And the Number 1 item is my soft shackle. I love my soft shackle. Instead of trying to loosen up those super tight d-rings because you have tightened them so much because you don’t want to lose them from rattling off. I have loaned mine out to other Jeepers several times and every time I do a recovery, I have used mine. So here are a couple of Recovery Items that I carry I haven’t used… YET…. My gloves and a shovel Next week on Jeep Life The Top 5 Mods I would do before I lifted my Jeep.
Interview with:
Brian Goldwitz with EZTrunk
Brian at EZTRUNK® loved the lifestyle and freedom of his Jeep®, but is there freedom? When he went to Home Depot, the grocery store, a hike, kayaking, or stopping for a quick bite to eat, he found that he was tied to his backpack filled with documents, computers, cash, and credit cards. Where could he put his stuff when he wanted freedom from his property? That’s when he had his aha moment. Build a trunk, not a box that takes up all the space in your rear cargo area – a folding trunk. For almost two years after that aha moment, he worked on building and perfecting a folding Jeep trunk. 2020 proved to be the beginning of a new adventure. With the EZTRUNK developed and a newly approved patent in hand, they are ready to unveil a product that truly gives you freedom, convenience, and security – EZTRUNK. January 2019 Wrangler Sales Set a Third Straight Monthly Record Another month, another record for Jeep Wrangler Sales! The 13,024 Wranglers sold last month represents the most Wranglers ever sold in the month of January, and it also marks the third straight month in which a monthly Wrangler sales record was set. FCA US Reports 2019 January Sales WITH 2019 RECORD JEEP SALES what better time to bring this patented folding trunk to a market that needs a product that is a convenient and secure way to protect belongings while enjoying the Jeep experience of going topless. EZTRUNK is a safe, secure place to lock up valuables with your top up or down.
Campfire Side Chat:
Wheeling in unfamiliar terrain offers unique challenges that can’t be found elsewhere. With that said, “Do you have any interest in night wheeling? – if no -WHY?” People around the virtual campfire, Larry H., Neil, Tammy, Travis E., Bob, Chris, Shawn S. You can watch us on Facebook LIVE every Thursday at 10pm CT. You can join in our virtual campfire side chat by joining our Zoom meeting. Subscribe to our newsletter to get notifications and links to join the show. Follow us on Facebook (Jeep Talk Show) so you’ll receive notifications when we go LIVE.
Links Mentioned in this Episode:
https://eztrunk.net/
https://www.facebook.com/keepyourjunkinthetrunk/
http://www.newcomerracing.com/