Episode 483 – Do This Or Lose Your Jeep!
This Week In Jeep
You Can Blame The Pandemic Shut Down
Industry analysts have said the lack of semiconductor chips stems from the early days of the pandemic when automakers, having to close production lines, canceled orders.
Chip producers pivoted to consumer electronics, which enjoyed a massive sales boom from customers who found themselves suddenly stuck at home. People shopping for autos have encountered thin inventories at dealerships and higher demand for used cars. And now, over 3,000 Jeep workers are about to be temporarily out of work.
The (now) global shortage of microchips forced the temporary shutdown this last Monday of the Jeep manufacturing plant in Belvidere and four other plants devoted to the Jeep, Chrysler, Dodge and Ram brands until mid April. The Belvidere plant, near Rockford, produces the Jeep Cherokee and employs about 3,600 people in two shifts.
So What Is It Like To Drive and Wheel The All Electric Jeep Magneto?!?
In episode 482 we covered the concept vehicles that Jeep brought to this year’s Easter Jeep Safari in MOAB Utah. And it was quite the selection. Not as impressive as years past, but there were some unique Jeeps nonetheless like always. One that seems to be getting a lot of attention is the all electric concept Jeep Wrangler, the Magneto.
Magneto is Juiced by a quartet of batteries totaling 70 kilowatt hours and running an 800-volt system, don’t try and charge your cell phone with that! The Magneto delivers up to 285 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque. The vehicle is based on a two-door Wrangler, but this is a true, fully open-air vehicle. No top, no doors, not even hinges FOR doors or mounts for a top. Magneto offers a charging port that can utilize both level 1 and level 2 sources, but not DC fast charging. One feature that has stood out on this Jeep is the designers choice to use a manual transmission. That’s right, Magneto’s got a stick. According to the lucky few who got the opportunity to get behind the controls of this thing, driving it, let alone wheeling it is a unique experience. In broad terms, driving the Magneto is similar to any other clutch-equipped vehicle: clutch in, choose your gear, and go. However, there are some unexpected nuances that are far different than a regular stick driven vehicle that I guess were hard to get used to. Here’s what they mean by that. With the Jeep Magneto, the clutch is pushed to the floor while the other foot is on the brake with the emergency brake on. Then, you need to hit the “run accessory” button once, wait about two seconds, press it again, and now it is put into “run mode”… but you’re not done yet you still have more to go before the jeep will move an inch. Aaaand this is where the Magneto gets interesting: You then need to choose a range (2WD, 4WD high, or 4WD low.) Then you need to pick what gear you want to start in. Ok NOW you can let out the clutch. But what’s weird is there is no friction point.
Magneto drivers can let the clutch completely out — with it in gear — and it won’t stall out or buck, in fact it wont move at all. The clutch is only used to put the vehicle in gear and to then change gears. There’s no need to give it throttle as you let out the clutch as fast or as slow as you want. Just depress the clutch, put it in gear, let the clutch out — it’s now in gear and ready to drive whenever the driver would like it to. You apparently can have it in gear with the clutch out, and it won’t go until the throttle is depressed.
Add to that all the aforementioned steps, and you can see how paying attention to controlling the heart of this thing can distract the driver from navigating the terrain.
Most of the drivers said they were however able to eventually shift gears on and off road with smooth transitions. The Magneto also has a unique sound to it. It was said to whine and whistle its way through the trails in Moab. Its electric motor is supposed to sound more like a Jetsons car, according to some, with a spirited and undulating tone instead of the mundane whir you hear out of most electric vehicles. Rock-crawling with Magneto was said to be precise, capable, and utterly dialed-in. Impressive seemed to be the preferred word to describe its ease to get over obstacles. Beyond its unique powertrain hardware, the Magneto is equipped with a JPP (Jeep Performance Parts) 2-inch lift kit, 35-inch Falken Wildpeak mud-terrain tires, a custom roll cage in Jeeps famous surf blue, Mopar rock sliders, beefy steel bumpers with a Warn winch, and a steel belly pan skid plate for underbody protection. Although having been asked repeatedly by several, Jeep would not disclose other information about this one of a kind electric Wrangler, like charging times, operating time, and the most commonly asked question, what it’s range is. Something tells me much of what we see from the concept Magneto, may come to fruition as a production Magneto trim package or perhaps a special edition Jeep like the automaker is so historically famous for. What do you guys think?
Newbie Nuggets with Wendy
Jeeping mentors
This week I wanted to share a story of helping other jeepers. Don Alexander, Bill and I were busy working with staff from the Redlands Chrysler Jeep Dodge & Ram dealer in Redlands, Calif. The sales staff wants to give all their new jeep buyers the opportunity to sign up for a class with us to explore what their jeep can actually do- even if its stock. Well to do that, Don set up an opportunity to work with several staff members and take them to a training area to drive and learn what their jeeps can do. All the jeeps belong to the staff (not Redlands Jeep) and we got them driving hills and obstacles that looked pretty crazy. But for all the experienced jeepers out there, you know that a stock jeep is extremely capable on most trails. We had 5 jeeps, including a new red gladiator (Tony) and one Tacoma truck. We drove out on a fire road to an area we call the training grounds. This area has hill climbs, down-hill trails, some off camber spots, narrow passages between bushes, tight turns and areas to really flex your way through. I love how the look on their faces when we first arrived was “No Way we can do that” and then to see the sheer joy on their faces after they drove the course. Priceless!
I love when I get to help teach newbies, and yes some of these drivers had never been on a fire road, let alone “off-road’’. We got the chance to help teach about trail conservation, staying on the trial, wheel spin, picking a line, spotting and basically how to drive your jeep through obstacles. Once we got a feel for their level of ability and/or comfort we drove to a mild black diamond trail. Now this isn’t rock crawling since most of these jeeps were barely lifted and the gladiator had side steps – not the kind that retract, but protrude. I was trying my best to rip those things off for the driver, he was planning to upgrade anyway. BUT it didn’t happen, my good spotting him through, he only barely scraped the underside. Anyway, this mild trail has some great opportunities for the drivers to get out and look at the line from the drivers point of view, but then I have them walk down the trail a bit and look back up to the jeep and see if they can “see” the line they need to drive. It’s really a good process when learning to drive and picking your line and we get a chance to explain what they need to be looking for. I have always said when you are new, or even if you are experienced, get out and look at the obstacle. It gives you a great perspective. Again, the look on their faces when seeing these obstacles for the first time was great. But after going through the trial, we turned around and ran it in the opposite direction. It’s amazing how the trail looks so different when you reverse what you just came down. All in all it was a huge success. Drivers excited to trail blaze some more, drivers who learned what they could do and how to do it correctly. Most have plans to upgrade with bigger tires, lifts, etc. and we got a chance to help with suggestions on budget friendly ideas to help them explain how they could help new buyers at the dealership on what it really takes to upgrade.
Of course I handed out our JTS stickers and told them it was a great resource for learning. I’m giving a shout out to some new listeners and everyone at the Redlands Jeep dealer. Next week we are taking out the remaining staff for the same training. Helping to mentor newbies and training new drivers and new jeep owners to get some outdoor /off-road experience with our class ensures that the jeepin’ tradition continues.
So are there other opportunities for you to mentor others? YES there are. Perhaps connecting with a dealership, like Tony is doing with his Gladiator purchase, or maybe offering some training for newbies. It’s a great way to give back, or just contribute to mentoring newbies. If you are doing something like this, let us know and you can check out our latest video at Jeep 4-1-1 for the visuals on what that day looked like.
Josh, & Tony, I know Josh you have mentored a lot and I believe Tammy has as well, and Tony you mentor through the show, so what do you guys like the most about mentoring?
Tech Talk with Jeep Talk
“Keep The Jeep” (part 1 of 2)
Each and every week I spend hours combing the web to find relevant stories to cover for This Week In Jeep. And over the last couple years I have been seeing a marked and dramatic increase in the number of stories involving a stolen Jeep. So I thought it might be good to cover some security tips as this time of year the projects come out of the garage, the tops start to come off, and we are generally getting ready for this year’s Jeeping season. I’m planning on making this a two part segment, where on this episode, we will go over the no brainer, super obvious stuff first, real easy things we should all be doing that can help us keep the Jeep. Then in the next episode, we’ll get into some more advanced stuff that may require certain skill sets or taking the Jeep to a professional. Typically Jeeps are stolen for two reasons. For their parts, or for a joy ride. You’re not dealing with professional car thieves most of the time when we’re talking about your average stolen Jeep. Those are the kinds of career criminals who seek out vehicles whose parts come at a premium, and can be easily dismantled by chop shops, or they’re after more high performance or high end vehicles. So maybe you Grand Cherokee SRT guys may need to watch out a little harder. But for the rest of us Jeepers, we’re dealing with drug addicts, homeless, or opportunists, who are just looking to get a quick ride somewhere or a stereo to jack. Regardless of the type of scumbag stealing your Jeep, you can count on one thing that is the same with all of them. They are not going to respect your Jeep like you do. If you’ve ever had a car stolen (as many times as I have had) you know that a stolen vehicle rarely is returned to the owner in the condition it was in when it left their possession. Ok I’ve broken this down into the top ten things that will come as common sense to most of us, but missing even one of these, even by accident can leave you coming out to an empty driveway or parking spot.
1.) Keep your Jeep locked at all times, even while driving. This is the one thing that will get you every time, sometimes you just plain and simply forget to lock the Jeep, and that’s all it takes.
2.) When parked, never leave your keys in the Jeep. If you’re going topless or doorless, it’s even more important to take those keys with you when you get out, no matter how close you will be or how long you’ll be gone.
3.) Never leave your Jeep running and unattended. Having the Jeep warmed up or cooled off before getting in is super nice, but so is the temptation for a thief when they see a rig running and nobody in it.
4.) Avoid leaving valuables inside your Jeep where they can be seen. Here’s a saying that will help you remember this one. “Out of sight = Out of mind” – You can’t steal what you can’t see.
5.) Do not leave your vehicle title in the Jeep. I know this is one of those DUH items, but too often a car thief is pulled over and gets away from the police because he or she can produce a fake bill of sale and a forged signature on a title.
6.) Install an anti-theft system in your Jeep if it doesn’t have one. Thieves are reluctant to steal vehicles if they have to disable an alarm, or know that the vehicle can be recovered quickly. Many insurers even offer discounts for different types of anti theft systems too so be sure to talk with your insurance company to see what sort of things will qualify for the kind of policy you have.
7.) Do not park in the dark. Thieves prefer to work in the dark. So be particularly cautious at night about where you park your Jeep. Park it in a well-lit area if possible and avoid dark alleys or an unlit driveway. Out on the street under a light is better than in the driveway or on the side of the house and in the dark.
8.) Be aware of your surroundings. Look around, especially in garages, parking lots and gas stations. All it takes is a moment of your attention to wander away from persec (that’s personal security) for a thief to take advantage of the opening.
9.) Turn the wheels and lock the steering wheel. Especially If you are forced to park on an incline, leave your Jeep in park or in gear (if it’s a manual) with the wheels turned (and locked) toward the curb or at least some other obstruction like a tree or building. This makes it harder for thieves to tow your Jeep away.
10.) Just give it to them. This one is only going to apply to certain areas, and is going to be the most rare situation for most of us to ever find ourselves in. But… if in the event you are ever confronted by an armed carjacker, do not resist. Even if you are carrying.
Regardless of the time spent building it, the money spent on it, and the sentimental attachment to it, remember this above all else: the Jeep can be replaced, but you can’t.
On the next episode we are going to look at both passive and active systems. From things like a steering wheel lock to a full on high end, on board security system with a whole suite of technology behind it, all aimed at helping you “Keep The Jeep”
Campfire Side Chat
Maybe it’s rotating the tires, or changing the oil. Maybe it’s something as simple as giving it a bath…. what’s the one thing you hate doing to your jeep, but have to do anyways?
You can join us around the virtual campfire every Thursday night at 9:45 pm when we record the latest episode. Subscribe to our newsletter to get weekly reminders and how to join via Zoom, or follow us on Facebook (https://facebook.com/jeeptalkshow) for notifications.
Links Mentioned in this Episode
NEXEN Tires USA
Jeep 4-1-1
https://www.youtube.com/user/backcountrydriver
The 4×4 Radio Network
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