Episode 562 – Sporks and Jeeping

This Week In Jeep

Grand Cherokee 4Xe Gets Grand Price

You can tell it’s saving the planet one strip mine at a time by the blue badging and tow hooks.

Jeep is still claiming it’s pronounced “Four-by-E”

25 miles of estimated EV range

Plug-in hybrid is the most potent Grand Cherokee,

The 4xe is more potent than the Grand Cherokee’s standard V6 and even the optional V8,

Comes with 375 hp and 470 lb-ft of torque

4xe’s 6,000-pound towing capacity isn’t as much as the V6 (6,200 pounds) or V8 (7,200 pounds).

Hybrid takes the top spot in price.

Grand Cherokee 4xe $59,495 / Summit Reserve 4xe $76,095

How much difference in price between gas and hybrid –  in configurator 7k – 10k

Old White Jeep XJ Says Screw Your Parking Rules!

Park City, just east of Salt Lake City in Utah, had a busy weekend. Even though the Sundance Film Festival was held virtually this year, people still flooded the town that usually hosts the annual event. The local Police Department over the weekend stopped numerous drivers for traffic violations, including speeding, as the community drew crowds. There was also a glut of parking problems. Not out of the realm of expectations when something like the Sundance Film Festival is happening, even if it isn’t.

So it’s no surprise that most of the cases resembled those that are usually logged during busy times and events. However, in one of the more spectacular parking complaints, the police received a report of a vehicle that was left in a Lowell Avenue location where it literally blocked other drivers from leaving a parking lot. 

The police logged the case at 12:27 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 28th after a string of complaints. Public police logs indicated the vehicle was described as an “old dusty white Jeep Cherokee.” The owner of the Jeep XJ demonstrating an epic example of not giving a flying “F” about social decorum or parking etiquette in any way shape or form, blocked off an entire row of the parking lot so that all 50 cars couldn’t get out.

It was not clear from the number of public police logs on this as to whether the management of the parking lot or the blocked-in drivers contacted the department.

This poor Jeep, this monument to breaking the rules and not giving a damn, was eventually towed and the people in the park who didn’t have a lifted 4-wheel drive vehicle that could just drive over the parking blocks, tiny shrubs and small landscaped hill that blocked them in eventually left too. The Jeep will likely be impounded, the driver will likely be ticketed, and we will likely never know the reasoning, or what was going through this Jeepers mind when he pulled the biggest “F-U” to other drivers.

Ambulance Hits Jeep – Kills Driver

A sad course of events. An ambulance carrying a critically injured, but non-life-threatening patient hits a Jeep Wrangler, and hard too. The accident happened on Westbound I-20 near Tarbutton Rd. Exit. Monday 5 am. Both vehicles exploded in flames, the Jeep burnt. 

The driver was killed, the passenger was flown to hospital, ambulance passenger was taken by another ambulance to the Shreveport hospital originally headed to, and will be ok.

The cause of the accident is still under investigation. 

 

 

 

 

Newbie Nuggets with Wendy

King of the Hammers (KOH)

For all you race fans, this week is King of the Hammers out here in the So. Calif. desert. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, it’s the KING of races within the off-road industry. This is a weeklong event with different classes of races from dirt bikes, to side-by-sides to modified jeeps and rigs on up to the ultra 4×4 – which is THE race of all races. The races are grueling, to say the least, and this year they added 23 more rock obstacles and 20 more desert miles than previous races. The terrain the drivers have to navigate is a mix of speed in the flat desert climbing over rocks to steep waterfalls and everything in between. And at speed – it is a race. The big Ultra 4×4 cars will get to just over 100 MPH on the lake bed.

Racers come from all over the country to compete with the best of the best. Most rigs are set up beyond our dreams as jeep owners and have sponsors to support the massive amount of modifications, fabrications and suspension build, etc. Some of these cars are pushing ½ a million dollars.

There are events that happen each day with qualifying runs to get to the big race on Saturday along with evening runs in the dark like Trials bike riders and Rock Hoppers. – that literally “hop” like a jumping spider up and over rock waterfalls that would blow your mind.  If you have never been, or live too far to travel to see this week-long event, you can tune into Ultra 4 racing live and see the actual races. 

https://www.ultra4racing.com/ultra4-racing-live

We try to attend at least one day of KOH and visit with vendors and watch the races from the big screens set up in Hammer Town, but the real action is when you drive out to see racers at the many “obstacles” that are double and triple black diamonds. The crowds line up along the sides of the ravines, and canyons and watch each racer traverse over, and through the course. Of course having someone roll, tip over, get a flat or break something is what the crowd is waiting for. One year we were at an obstacle that had four racers all having to winch themselves out of a difficult area. It was more like who can get out of the rig and run to set up their winch line and winch the fastest. BEST “racing” we ever saw. And sometimes if you’re broken or stuck in the way you get  “used” as traction!

The other cool thing is the helicopters and drones that fly around capturing all the action. They do such a great job of catching all the angles so you can watch it later. There are so many people attending, it gets crazy sometimes, but mostly everyone is just out having a great time. But if you can imagine a freeway with no lanes, no stoplights or signs, and everyone going at different speeds, and in different directions all at the same time, well that’s some of the crowds at King of the Hammers. The spectators are insane. Side by side and motorcycles weaving in between regular traffic, and dust is everywhere from all the traffic. There is one major road in and out, but trying to get anywhere, everyone just goes off the main road and this creates such chaos. Most people out there are probably dry camping. Again, it’s like organized chaos, with no marked spots, tens of thousands of people all camping for miles and miles as far as the eye can see.

Within all of KOH, there is Hammer Town. This is where all the vendors and food options are. It’s a sectioned-off area from all the vehicle traffic and there are big screens to watch the live-action. People bring chairs and sit and watch all day if they want. The cool thing is this is also where the start of all the races are so as the rigs are lining up for their race or getting their safety and tech checks they line these rigs up in a snake-like fashion weaving in and through the vendor rows. So as you walk around looking at the vendors you get to see off-the-charts setup rigs – of all kinds. And of course who doesn’t love the sound of healthy V8’s as they slowly make their way to the check-in areas. It’s a car lover’s dream for sure!!

I highly recommend you come out to KOH sometime. You can bring your jeep and drive to most of the obstacles and with a short hike, watch the racers. You can also drive around the desert valley floor as well. KOH makes a great vacation with lots to see and do. Or maybe you just like to just watch the spectators as they try to traverse the freeway from hell. And there is always the camper who can’t back their rigs out of a tight spot. Either way – come and enjoy a fun time in the desert. You can also watch the big race this Saturday live on Ultra4 racing live. If you want highlights from all the races check out the YouTube channel KOH2022

Camp Fireside Chat

3-link? 4-link? Drop Brackets? Long Arms? Leaf Springs?

What’s the best performing Jeep suspension you’ve seen?

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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/

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