Episode 505 – California Hates Jeepers, Here’s Proof!

This Week In Jeep

A Lesson In Supply and Demand

So I’ve been talking a lot of smack about the first hybrid Jeep Wrangler ever, The 4xe (Or 4-BY-e as Jeep would have us say it.) I don’t like the name, I tend to steer away from the first generation of anything, and I’m still not sold on some of its features. And we all have heard about the real-world results of the EV range being factors less than what is claimed. And…. in the spirit of full disclosure, my opinions are based solely on my personal preferences, and currently available data. This is of course biased since I haven’t been behind the wheel of one of these yet. That is all about to change. Listener of the show, and local Jeeper to me, RJ is going to set me up with a little test drive here in the coming weeks, and he is all but guaranteeing that my mind will be blown.

We shall see. The point of all this is that if you are one of the 12,000 some odd owners of a 4Xe, consider yourself lucky. Jeep just this week, has announced they have increased the electrified Wrangler’s price by over $3,000. Jeep also made the claim that it is now the best-selling plug-in hybrid in the U.S. Although exact numbers have not been released yet, most of the online estimates show that the Jeep Wrangler 4xe dramatically outsold the Prius. I mean if you had to pick between a Prius and a Wrangler… uh… I think the choice for most would be pretty obvious. That being said, with this price increase it now makes the 4Xe an $11,705 premium over a V-6 Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon. Once again, at least on paper, I think the choice is clear here. If given the option I’ll spend the 12k less and go with the V6. But who knows, maybe my mind will be changed by this upcoming test drive. For now, though, Jeep is the only major automaker with a PHEV off-road vehicle. And we gotta give them props for being the first one out the gate with an offroad hybrid. And bonus points for outselling the damn Prius with your first at-bat. But both GM and Ford have hybrid plans that will be followed by full EV’s. and we’ve already seen just how desperate the other automakers are to compete against Jeep in the offroad market. It will be an interesting battle for off-road EV supremacy. I’ll just be sticking to filling it up with supreme for now though.

California Smog Testing Will Now Sniff Out (and Fail) Tuned ECUs

California Jeep enthusiasts have yet another item to add to an ever-expanding list of dos and don’ts (mostly don’ts) regarding their state dictated visits to certified smog facilities. Up till recently, if your Jeep was armed with a performance chip or had modified programming (software) on its ECU (Engine Control Unit), and as long as you didn’t have any check engine light on, and you passed a smog test, no one would raise an eyebrow. However, as of July 19th, 2021, if your Jeep’s ECU program isn’t verified as legal by a California Air Resources Board (C.A.R.B.) Executive Order, then your Jeep won’t pass smog, regardless of its emissions output. It might seem like common sense given the Golden State’s reputation for strict smog guidelines and astronomical fees that only seem to increase each year, but again, previously, countless Jeeps roamed California’s roads with performance-minded tunes applied to their ECUs. 

So long as the engine ran clean enough to meet state emissions guidelines, the smog tech would have no issue passing you.  As of the 19th of July though, if detected, an ECU modified in any way from the original factory settings without a C.A.R.B. Executive Order Certification, will result in you not getting a critical piece of the vehicle registration puzzle. Now, some of you may have a programmer that will allow you to revert back to the factory tune, with a few menu selections. Those who are running installed chips, or completely custom-tuned maps, then you may be looking at other options. I for one would consider moving out of that god-forsaken state. This California guideline update comes on the heels of a significant effort put forth by the nutty EPA goons in recent years to crack down on performance companies and shops allegedly violating the Clean Air Act by selling devices that defeat factory emissions controls. Because ya know…they don’t have anything else better to do. Years ago, brands were sure to include “for off-road use only” labels on any engine performance-related components being sold, but that’s simply not going to cut it any longer for the eco-nut know-it-alls. Regardless of intended use, the EPA would like to see ALL engine performance-related devices pulled from shelves nationwide, and stiff penalties apply to both sellers and producers.

In addition, the group aims to ban factory vehicles from being converted into trail-only rigs. If you want one of those, you would have to build it from scratch apparently. I guess we’re probably only a few years away (at this point) from outdoor motorsports of any kind being labeled as harmful to the environment, and will be shut down. 

Unless it’s electric of course. 

Tech Talk with Jeep Talk

Personal Preparedness For Off-Roading (Multi-Part Series)

Last week we started a multi-part series in personal preparedness.

The purpose of this is to make sure you yourself are prepared for wilderness or expedition wheeling. I originally wanted to avoid the laundry list of items to bring or pack and a biased opinion on the things to avoid, but in the end, there is going to be a list that is created. Every corner of the US is different though in both the topographical sense as well as the meteorological. So the things one should have on hand in the high plains areas or desert-like regions may be a completely different set of considerations as what one might take for say being out on the Olympic Peninsula or the Deep South. 

So let’s focus on the basics. The things that will be the same no matter what. 

And no matter what, if you’re in the middle of an expedition or the remote wilderness and your Jeep breaks down beyond your ability to repair it there on the spot, you need to be prepared for what could be a very long walk. Now obviously if you take our advice and never wheel alone, then this is a moot point. But if you do find yourself days away from civilization, you’ll be glad you listened. Clearly, when we are talking about preparedness, and hiking out of the wilderness to get help, we are talking about carrying some supplies with us, and we’re going to need a vessel with which to do that.

Here is where I would ignore the urge to use the backpack you carried with you all those years ago in high school. Scholastic backpacks may be good for books and juice boxes but are bulky, and overweight for what we want. The one size fits all kids’ approach to their design isn’t going to do us any favors either. Besides, there are more weatherproof options out there that are better suited for this purpose. Look for a day pack, something designed for long hikes, but ultra-lightweight. You’ll want something less than 2 pounds for sure, and that is highly breathable and comfortable to wear. This isn’t going to hold a lot of heavy gear, or even a three-ring binder for that matter… so frames and additional support are not needed, nor is a pack that is very large. There have been some decent design development in the hydration pack world, so something that also has a bladder would be an added bonus, but we’ll expand more on that later. Next up we need to think about the main means of getting back to civilization, and that’s your own two feet. Make sure you always have a good set of broken-in hiking shoes or boots in the Jeep. Wheeling in flip-flops is only a good idea for so long, and a survival situation is the last place you want to be breaking in a new pair of boots. Hiking out of an expedition trip is going to involve miles upon miles of walking on uneven surfaces. Chances are, your feet aren’t going to be prepared for that kind of abuse, so having a blister kit on hand is going to be one of the essentials in your pack. Blister Medic, Or a general foot care kit that can address blisters well should be something you don’t skimp on. To get you going in the right direction, look for a kit that contains these elements at the very least. More is better, but it should at the very least have some medical tape, as well as moleskin, antibiotic ointment, and tincture of benzoin. Now I’m sure there are a couple of things in there that some of you may not be familiar with. If you’ve ever applied a bandage to a blister on the back of your heel, you probably noticed that it came off shortly after you put on shoes. Moleskin tends to stay in place better than traditional bandages. It’s also thicker, which adds more support and cushioning. Tincture of benzoin solution is a topical adhesive agent used to provide tackiness and enhance the adhesive property of tape or bandages. Here’s a quick tip: Make sure you don’t put moleskin directly over a blister. The strong adhesive on the back can easily rip off the top of your blister when you remove it. A blister’s roof protects it from developing an infection, and the last thing you want is a couple of dozen miles ahead of you and a giant raw spot on your foot. The bottom line is you will want to get the best, most complete kit you can, and you won’t regret it when it comes time to use it. Speaking of time, Time, Hydration, Caloric Intake, and Communications are the only other things standing in your way of getting help. In the next tech talk, we’re going to finish off our 4×4 survival bag and even get to some other considerations too, so stay tuned.

Jeep Talk Show Interview with Mike Burkhart 

Mike has been a Jeep owner since 2003 starting with a Liberty and has now owned 4 Jeep Wranglers and really enjoys Jeep experiences. Since being on Tik Tok Mike has always tried to share experiences that may help others in life.  Mike bought a 2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe in June, and he talks about his experiences with it and his foundation https://www.travisburkhartfoundation.com/

 

 

Jeep Life – With Jeep Momma

Soldier Stone

I was trying very hard to make it to the Texas Event to meet you guys. That would be so awesome. However, with the price of gas and all the events we have coming up It’s just not in the cards. We have the Gambler 500 this weekend, then Overland Expo, Possibly Black Bear Pass, then to Utah for the Jeep Badge of Honor Trail Hole in the Rock. Plus, just yesterday the US Forestry Department reached out to us to help them. There is a place up here in the mountains called Soldier’s Stone. It is not very publicized. It’s actually a secret. It’ takes a 4X4 to reach this location high above a small town here in Colorado. Hidden high on a remote mountain peak is a humbling and mysterious Vietnam War Memorial. This mysterious memorial is devoted to the forgotten soldiers and civilians from Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, France, and other nations who secretly fought alongside America during the war in Vietnam. This memorial is a 10-foot granite monolith, inscribed with quotes in various languages. Also etched in large letters into the granite are the words valor, courage, and sacrifice. The monolith is surrounded by a triangular half wall of dry stacked stone and then beyond this wall are a number of small flat markers hidden amongst the grass and wildflowers. Some of these markers are engraved with sayings of the indigenous mountain people of Vietnam. There is no mention of it on the US Forestry’s page nor are there any interpretive signs. It sits just over 11,000 feet and if you remember from my Engineer Pass episode that is just at the treeline. It’s surrounded by views of the nearby mountain ranges. It is accessed via small dirt roads and then a hike through difficult terrain. It is a peaceful and serene experience as there aren’t a whole lot of visitors. So the word is… the memorial was created by retired US Army Lieutenant Colonel and Vietnam Vet Stuart Allen Beckley and a stonecutter he was working with. He devoted the final years of his life to looking for the best place for the memorial. His dream was to have it high up in the Rockies accessible to vets, but secret enough to shield it from vandals. He finally found the spot and received permission from the US Forest Service and the memorial was completed in 1995. He died shortly after the approval and sadly didn’t get to see the unveiling. He did get to see his dream of honoring those who lost their lives in Southeast Asia. As I said, the US Forestry Department reached out to us to help with some transportation. There is a group of about 15 folks who are having a reunion of sorts. They are in their 70’s and 80’s. They want to get up to see the memorial to celebrate and remember. These folks are the last survivors of the Battle of la Drang which I am told is kind of a big deal,,, so I looked it up. It was the first major battle between the US and the People’s army of Vietnam. It took place in November of 65. The US suffered an over 50% casualty rate before being extricated from the battle. Both sides claimed victory. So sometimes close to the Texas Event, Neil and myself and the volunteers we gather up, will hopefully be transporting Vietnam Vets to this mysterious monolith high up in the Rocky Mountains. Next week on Jeep Life with Jeep Momma I share an important life lesson in general.

Links Mentioned in this Episode

NEXEN Tires USA https://www.nexentireusa.com/

Trails 411- POWERING Your Adventure https://www.youtube.com/user/backcountrydriver

The 4×4 Radio Network http://4x4radionetwork.com/

Interact With The Show! https://jeeptalkshow.com/contact

Jeep Talk Show on Facebook https://facebook.com/jeeptalkshow

Rat Bastards Facebook Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/ratbastard

Rat Bastards Webpage https://ratbastard.lol

Looking for Amazon products we’ve talked about on the show? https://jeeptalkshow.com/amazon

You are invited to our Discord Server!  https://discord.gg/txeYMs45sm