Episode 584 – How To Find The Gear Spot
This Week In Jeep
Why Is Jeep Shutting Down a Production Plant For 8 Weeks?
Stellantis, Jeep’s parent company that formed when French PSA Auto Group took over FCA Automobiles. Stellantis, like every other major automaker, is having to adapt and make fluid, rapid decisions to execute quick production changes in this ever-shifting automotive industry. Jeep’s parent company this week announced that it will be shutting down production at its Jefferson North plant in Detroit for eight weeks to retool the plant for the production of the all-new Jeep Grand Cherokee. We got our first look at the reinvigorated Grand Cherokee back in September of 2021, and now that we know that it’s coming with a fresh 4xe electrified powertrain, eight weeks doesn’t sound half bad for a complete retooling. Currently, the plant employs 4,874 people, and a new $900 million investment promises to create a further 1,100 jobs in the city of Detroit.
A significant number of these new jobs will focus on Stellantis’ push in plug-in hybrid models and full-electric vehicles, including Jeep EVs.
The new Jeep Grand Cherokee is already being manufactured at the Mack Assembly Plant which recently saw a $4.5 billion commitment from Stellantis. The plant is also responsible for assembling the three-row Grand Cherokee L and for some recent headlines too. The new 4xe Hybrid model makes use of a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine and two electric motors with a 400-volt battery pack. This setup produces a strong 375 horsepower and 470 lb-ft of torque. When running on battery power only, the Grand Cherokee hybrid has a max range of 25 miles. While the Jefferson North plant gets retooled, other Stallantis assembly plants, such as the Belvidere plant in Illinois sit idle due to the crippling global semiconductor shortage. Jeep’s positive moves towards an all-electric future will kick into high gear once the Grand Cherokee 4xe starts rolling off of the production line, which forms part of Jeep’s goals to achieve net carbon neutrality by 2038 and provide an electric option in each of its class offerings by 2025. Spending big on the green is clearly creating jobs, and eight weeks is a small price to pay for all the good that’s going to come out of the Jefferson North plant.
Jeep’s Parent Co. To Spend $4B On a New Battery Factory In Ontario Canada
Stellantis and a partner, LG Energy Solution, said earlier this week that they would jointly build a battery plant in Windsor, Ontario, right across the river from Detroit Michigan, to provide the critical components for a range of electric Jeeps and trucks the automaker aims to introduce over the next several years. The two companies expect to invest $4.1 billion in the factory and create roughly 2,500 jobs. The new factory is the latest in a series of plants that automakers have said they will build in North America as they rush to produce electric cars and trucks and catch up to Tesla, which dominates the fast-growing market for electrics.
The Jeep 392 Has a Secret – And It’s Embarrassing
If the snowflake masses of tree-hugging croc wearing eco-nuts have their way, electric vehicles will fill the streets and trails of the world. But that day hasn’t come thank god, and we can still celebrate a nostril full of freshly burnt race fuel. Dialing back a notch, we find ourselves at a drag race. But this one isn’t full of alcohol-fueled funny cars or top fuel dragsters boasting insane horsepower numbers. This is a drag race of production-level SUVs, and the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392 was among the contenders. It was.. I may note, the one rig with the least power. WHAT?!? I know, but it’s only got 470 horsepower. “only” … but what it lacks in power compared to its rivals it makes up for in weight. Because out of the four SUVs in this race, the Jeep was the lightest weighing in at 4740 lbs. And in this corner, we have a Mercedes-AMG G63 which just so happens to be the heaviest and most powerful, checking in at 577 hp and 5,622 lbs. In the middle, you have the Land Rover Defender V8 with 518 hp and the BMW X7 M50i with 523 hp.
Aside from similar power levels, the middle children also weigh around 5,480 pounds each, so they should be evenly matched, right? On paper, yes. However, anyone remotely familiar with performance SUVs will recognize the X7 isn’t quite like the other competitors featured here. Whereas the Jeep, Merc, and Land Rover are legit off-road vehicles, the X7 is aimed at road-going adventures. It has proper on-road tires, and it’s also fitted with launch control. And since this contest of speed takes place on a massive, paved runway, you probably see where this is going. The Mercedes actually put up a good fight, but the Wrangler had its feet tied the entire time. More on that here in a sec. In two standing-start races, the G-wagon chases the Bimmer all the way through the quarter-mile, barely losing to the X7. Meanwhile, the Defender and Rubicon take turns bringing up the rear with each losing once. It’s the same for a pair of mile-long rolling races, except things are far more embarrassing for the Wrangler.
470 hp is plenty of muscle to get the SUV moving, but with a governed top speed of 112 mph, our beloved Jeep is literally left in the dust. The BMW may have won the day, but… it’s not necessarily a fair fight. Remove the speed limiting governor, or move the venue to an actual off-road environment and it’s likely going to be a very different story.
Must-Have Stuff Pick-of-the-Week for your Jeep!
OLIGHT Warrior Mini 2 EDC Tactical Light $ 108.90
https://www.olightstore.com/warrior-mn2.html
- Smart Proximity Sensor: Prevents overheating by automatically dimming the LED and turning it completely off after 1 minute of lens obstruction.
- Powerful Beyond Size: Max 1,750 lumens, 220-meters of throw, and 45-day of runtime.
- EDC & Tactical Use: Compact size with carabiner-style ring and dual switches, making it versatile for both EDC and tactical use. An intuitive side switch selects between six different modes for all-day use, and a dual-stage tail switch allows for quick tactical operation.
- Reversible Clip: Bezel up or down. You choose which is best for your style of use, giving you the best experience no matter the need.
Tech Talk with Jeep Talk
TOPIC/QUESTION: Driveline Phasing
If you’ve even thought about lifting your Jeep, the discussion about driveline vibration has more than likely come up. The vibrations occur when certain conditions in the geometry of the driveline are met. These are usually related to angles first and foremost, as when you lift the Jeep, the angle of the driveline changes since the differential is now further away from the transfer case. The angle of the joint in relation to the driveline must be the same at both ends, if it isn’t, you’ll have vibrations. The same applies if those angles are beyond the limitations of the universal joints. The joints are essentially bottoming out on the yokes, and this impact is what you feel in the form of vibrations. Driveline vibrations are not only annoying, but they can also be quite destructive.
If things like angles, or phasing aren’t correct, excess vibrations can cause anything from premature u-joint failure to excessive component wear to even transmission and transfer case problems including but not limited to bearing failure and a sudden unplanned rapid disassembly of said transfer case or transmission. If you’ve ever replaced a u-joint on your driveline or had driveline service done of any kind, there’s a chance it may be out of phase. A driveline in a Jeep front or rear, doesn’t matter, can have perfect angles, the very best of components, could be built virtually indestructible, and installed with utter perfection, but if it’s out of phase, it will still have vibrations. Driveline, prop shaft, drive shaft, or whatever you call it, needs to have proper phasing. Phasing is the correct alignment between the yokes at each end of the shaft. If the yokes are not in phase, speed fluctuations will not be canceled out and this causes vibrations. Whether from the Jeep factory, or from companies like Tom Woods, Driveshafts are built with the yokes at each end of the tube pre-aligned.
So how can you tell if your Jeep’s drivelines are properly phased?
But to check your own driveline for phasing, look to see if the yokes are aligned at each end. Yoke is a common term used in Jeeping. You may have heard the term slip-yoke or pinion yoke before in conversation. Yokes are all designed to do the same thing. Hold a universal joint. and they are usually shaped roughly like a “Y” The top ends of the “Y” are the ears of the yoke. These ears are where the U-joints sit in between and when in the proper phase, they should be in the same position at each end. In other words, if the u-joint down at the axle has a bearing cap pointing directly to the driver’s side, then the u-joint up at the transfer case should also have a u-joint pointing to the driver’s side. That’s the easiest way. Now some drivelines are made with alignment arrows, these will show you the proper alignment between the two driveshaft ends.
Another way to ensure proper phasing and alignment of your Jeep’s driveline is to look for the serial numbers. All serial numbers will be stamped on the same plane of the driveshaft. This also depicts that the driveshaft is in the correct phase and that it is aligned as it was at the factory when balanced. Not all drive lines have alignment arrows or easily identifiable serial numbers, so always default to yoke position. So now head out and crawl under your Jeep and take a look at the position of all the yokes and U-joints and see if your Jeep’s drivelines are in phase. If you would like to see a very good visual representation of all this, I’ll have a link to a very easy-to-understand video that demonstrates all of this both visually and audibly.
Jeep Talk Show Interview
Pete Acton – The Gear Spot
https://www.facebook.com/thegearspot
https://www.instagram.com/originalgearspot/?hl=en
Coming up next week…Clayton Schmeling with from Beadlockers.com
Jeep Life – With Jeep Momma
Tammy’s Top Ten Jeep Lingo / Slang
It took me over forty years to realize owning a vehicle takes on a whole new meaning when you become a Jeep owner. Just owning a Jeep is an experience on a whole other level than just a “regular” vehicle. Then to find out about the Jeep Community and now to be a part of such an amazing community full of Jeep enthusiasts that feel the love for their Jeep like you feel about your Jeep. It is amazing. A Jeep is not just a vehicle, it’s a way of life. You begin to immerse yourself into all things Jeep. To be fully a part of the community you need to learn the lingo. In episode 574 Wendy shared the Jeep Talk Show Jeep Glossary, a very helpful go-to tool when you hear a word and are not sure what it means. Just like with any other culture there are slang words. And the Jeep community uses these as well. To get you started here are my Top 10 Jeep Slang words.
Droop – downward articulation, or how far the tires can reach below the vehicle.
Stuff – upward compression, or how far the tires can be pushed upwards into the wheel housing
Naked – a term used to describe a Jeep with the top & doors off
“Oh-Shit” handles – Grab handles on the roll bars to hang onto while crawling thru the rocks.
Pumpkin – The differential is the device on the axle that splits the engine torque two different ways, allowing each output to spin at a different speed.
Wrenching – When a group of Jeepers gets together to work on a single Jeep or multiple Jeeps.
Wheeling – driving your 4×4 vehicle off-road with a group of like-minded friends.
Flex – the vehicle’s ability to flex its suspension were drooping on one side and stuffing on the other while maintaining the ability to keep all four wheels on the ground when going over off-road obstacles by means of axle articulation
Line – A pathway designated by the driver giving them a sightline to the best possible route to overcome an obstacle or to travel on a specific pathway. Choosing the correct line is often essential to being a successful four-wheeler.
Stealership – a derogatory term given to car dealerships where DIY drivers avoid purchasing parts due to them being notoriously overpriced.
What Jeep slang did I miss that all new Jeepers need to know. We would love for you to share here on the Jeep Talk Show. You can do that by going to the Jeep Talk shows website and clicking on the contact page. You can call in a comment or email us one!
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
Show notes powered by sevenslats.com