Episode 589 – You Missed National Jeep Day!

This Week In Jeep

MAGNETO 2.0 To Be Unveiled At EJS 2022 

Last year’s offerings of Jeep’s concept vehicles brought to the Easter Jeep Safari left a little to be desired. Unfortunately to fit the “let’s go green at all costs” narrative, all we heard about was the “Magneto” …which by definition is nothing more than a small electric generator containing a permanent magnet and used to provide high-voltage pulses. I guess “high voltage” is the only applicable take-away there. As we recorded last week’s show where we were talking about this, Jeep dropped a final teaser image highlighting another vehicle that can be expected to be shown at EJS this year….which as we record this episode, starts in just a couple of days. In this last teaser pic,  we clearly see the hood lettering of a Wrangler spelling out “MAGNETO 2.0” … There are dark, possibly carbon fiber fender flares, and halo headlights that appear to be recessed quite a ways. The entire hood and windshield frame are aglow with Jeep’s electric blue. Almost as if it’s radioactive. There’s also the hood bump we more commonly associate with a V8 variant of Wrangler, so I guess this could mean this magneto will be even more powerful than last year’s model, and possibly even more powerful than the 392 Wrangler. Aside from the singularly focused coverage of last year’s Magneto, Jeep faces competition from GM’s electric Hummer and Rivian’s R1T. So if Jeep were to bring out something that was lighter, quicker, and more trail-rated than either of those, it could be a massive step in the EV direction that Stellantis has set out for its brands.

Clearly, an electric Wrangler with crazy acceleration, amazing speed, trail-rated off-road prowess, and industry-leading range would be too expensive for public consumption. 

But that doesn’t mean the concept of such a “green unicorn” can’t be produced as a one-off of what could be for this year’s Easter Jeep Safari to drum up excitement and gauge consumer sentiment toward a future of electric Wranglers.

Lone Star Off-Road Park Celebrates One Year

Anyone looking for an off-road adventure in the state of Texas has a new spot in Grand Prairie to get their Jeeping fix at. Located just 4 hours north of where Tony is sitting right this minute, the Lone Star Off-Road Park in Grand Prairie Texas allows Jeeps, ATVs, and other four-wheeled vehicles to roam its 150 acres and 15 miles of trails.

The park opened last year near the similarly named Lone Star Park horse racing complex. The trails weave through the woods, next to Bear Creek, offering patrons thrilling terrain and great views. The park is open Wednesday through Sunday from dawn until dusk. Entry is $20 per person for a full day pass and children under 14 are free. https://lonestaroffroadpark.com/

Jeep Grand Cherokees Under Recall Notice For Faulty Steering

Stellantis, Jeep’s Parent company, is recalling certain 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee (WK2) vehicles due to steering gear rack bar issues. According to the recall filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the steering gear rack bar may have been insufficiently hardened during manufacturing, possibly allowing it to bind within the steering rack, and resulting in difficulty steering or a complete loss of steering control. As of March 3rd, 2022, FCA US has identified zero customer assistance records, zero warranty claims, and zero-field reports potentially relating to this issue for all markets. There are also no reports of any accidents or injuries associated with this issue. The only fix for this is for dealers to replace the entire steering gear assembly, free of charge of course.  Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed out starting on May 3rd, 2022.  If you feel you may have a Jeep under this recall, we urge you to contact your local dealer for more information. 

Newbie Nuggets with Wendy

Running with Scissors        

I know as a newbie that wheeling with people you don’t know can be a scary thought. Kind of like running with scissors: You may think it could be dangerous and you could get hurt, or worse your jeep gets damaged. Well, it’s really not that bad…. But it could feel that way.

Bill and I had the opportunity to wheel last Saturday with other jeepers that we did not know, nor had ever met them. My dad was visiting so he got to go as well. We have seen past FB posts from the Local Jeepers FB page and they do some really cool trails in our area. They had a run-through Holcomb Creek, a Black Diamond trail with some beautiful views, scenic water crossings, and some major obstacles. If you have never been to Holcomb Creek, and you are set up for Black Diamond trails, you need to put this trail on your list. It’s also a Jeep Badge of Honor trail and you won’t be disappointed.

The difficult parts of this trial are the many water crossings and some off-camber stuff that has even the best of drivers clenching as they maneuver through. The water poses a real challenge to rock crawling with wet, muddy tires. You really have to pick your line and stick with your line or risk slipping off and damaging all kinds of things under your jeep. Well, this trip would be no different. With the snowpack melting and Spring in the air, the water was flowing freely and deep. I love wheeling around water, it’s always so peaceful when you get out and just listen.

When Bill and I go out we usually know someone in the group, could be one of our club members, a friend, or someone we worked with, but mostly we usually know someone in the group. Not this time and I have to tell you it had me thinking, “this is what a true newbie probably feels”. They don’t know anyone, how can they wheel with them. There were a few nerves on my part of not knowing how these guys wheel? Were they safe? Do they crawl or “send it”? Do they like drinking beer on the trail or did a whole list of other things cross my mind before we met up with them.

Well, guess what? Turns out they are just like us. They love to wheel and are safe and they don’t “wheel to break shit”. They wheel for enjoyment and accomplishment – our kind of jeepers. So I want to give a big shout-out to the crew from Local Jeepers, Ed, Mike, Joe, and Charlie. We had such a great time wheeling with them and can’t wait to wheel again. You can check out their FB if you are in the area and want to wheel some great trails.

What was also interesting are the other people you meet on the trail. Josh & Tammy, you know this better than anyone, I’m sure. And this probably would have happened whether we knew the group we were with or not, but you always meet people that love Jeeping or think they know how to Jeep. At one of the main obstacles, with lots of water, mud, and large boulders worthy of a “Black Diamond’ designation, the fun began. As we got up to the obstacle another two groups of wheelers were coming from the opposite direction. As good stewards of wheeling, we had them come through first, so we could watch of course LOL. We parked on the side of the trail to let them through. Some of the best wheeling is done sitting on the wayside and watching others wheel through an obstacle. This particular boulder obstacle through the creek has three possible lines. The one in the middle is like an “S” shape and is difficult and requires a skilled driver and spotter to get through. The line to the right (going the way we were) is probably the most difficult, needs a skilled river and spotter, and will most likely incur body damage, slipping off tall boulders, breaking front ends, etc., and getting sideways if you try to “send it” rather than crawl. The line on the left looks easier, however, it’s very deceiving. It is full of mud, slick rocks, and large deep holes behind boulders that catch everything from diffs to shocks and any low-hanging fruit underneath.

As we sat and watched the back of this group try to get through the obstacles there were so many safety violations happening I had to look away at times. This group had people all around the very “beat-up” XJ while the Jeep was moving – too close for my liking. They were even putting rocks underneath to help with traction while the Jeep was moving. They even had to winch several vehicles back out and they were all standing so close to the winch line, I had to just keep my mouth shut. At any given time there were 5 people speaking in two different languages to the driver on what to do. They even got one jeep completely sideways on the trail. I have no idea how they actually got him free because it defies gravity and physics. But hey, they were out wheeling, sending it to break something and we were letting them pass.

By this time (1 hour later) two other groups arrived – one behind us and one in front. Major traffic jam for sure. This happens a lot on major obstacles and it’s part of the fun watching others get through. That’s where I met Bash with HK Offroad. What a nice man. While we were talking he noticed our Nexen Tire stickers all over our jeep and thus the conversation turned. Bash knew some of the same people we did, like Paul with Nexen Tire. I am hoping Tony and he can connect in a future episode when he can talk about his company and off-road products. Funny what a small world it is when you’re out Jeeping.

The best thing that happened was when we first arrived at this obstacle I got out and headed forward to see how many jeeps were on the other side and assess if the obstacle had changed since the last time we wheeled. There was a gentleman walking my way. As I always do, I said “how are you guys doing?” and he said, “oh my gosh? Are you Wendy with the Jeep Talk show?” I said yes and he got so excited, kind of like a kid that was on his way to Disneyland. I was thinking how did he recognize me? When I wheel, I have a ball cap on, my hair in a ponytail and I’m wearing sunglasses. On the show, I don’t look anything like that. He said it was my voice he recognized. He said his name was Marcus. I have never had that reaction before and I felt a little surprised that someone actually recognized me, and by my voice. It was like I was a celebrity (for a brief moment LOL). He was yelling back to his other jeepers, “It’s Wendy from the Jeep Talk Show.” It was a surreal experience. I had no idea that I had impacted someone like that. He said he listens all the time, loves all of us, and loves the show. I asked if he had a JTS sticker and said he hadn’t sent in his SASE for stickers. So I hooked him up and gave him two!! I forgot to ask if he was still a Rat Bastard or not. I got to meet his wife Eva and his son, (didn’t get his name) who is14 and was spotting his dad and friends through. His son had been spotting for two years and did a fabulous job. He got his dad and four other jeeps through. I gave him two simple tips to help but he is going to be an excellent wheeler when he starts driving.

I love how I got to meet people on the trail that I would not have, had I not taken the chance and wheeled with people we didn’t know. I was so thankful to Marcus and Eva for listening to our show and how they are teaching their son. So I put away those scissors (so to speak) and reminded myself that wheeling is about sometimes getting out of your comfort zone and trying something new. Newbies are always trying something new and I applaud you for that decision. Keep doing it. It is wonderful and who knows who you may meet out on the trail. Turns out it was a great day and we met amazing other jeepers. Thanks again Local Jeepers for letting us wheel with you guys. We look forward to the next time.

Must-Have Stuff Pick-of-the-Week for your Jeep!

216 Piece Craftsman VERSASTACK 3-Drawer Mechanics Tool Set

https://amzn.to/3KkmCX1   $160 and Free Shipping

If you’ve listened to the show for a while, you’ll know that I love tools. I have a huge amount of tools and am always adding something to the collection. But I used to make a living using tools, and I still regularly do side jobs working on people’s Jeeps, so I may be a bit different than you listening. But owning a Jeep means that eventually you’ll need or at least want to do something easy to it, and you just know you could do it yourself if you just had the tools. A tool collection like mine takes decades to amass, or an impacted ass load of money to throw at it all at once. I don’t come from that kind of money, and I bet you listening would prefer to find a deal than waste your hard-earned cash. Today we bring it all together. A great set of tools for any Jeeper to start things off with. It’s a Craftsman brand set, so you know it’s going to perform, last, and comes with a lifetime warranty. This kit comes with its own heavy-duty, ultra-portable three-drawer carrying case, that is compact enough to bring on any trail ride without sacrificing valuable cooler space. And the case is so well designed, that your tools will still be where they’re supposed to be, even after a full day out on the rocks. It’s three quickly identifiable drawers have positive locking tabs on both sides that keep each individual drawer locked into position. From the most basic stuff like tightening a loose light mount, to full-on trail repairs and driveway maintenance, this kit has most of what you’ll need. Does it have everything? No.

There would be a few things that you’ll eventually want or need to add to this to do something like a lift kit install, but there’s room to grow with this kit, and its modular design means that you can expand this kit as your tool needs expand too. I’ve used Craftsman tools most of my life, and I swear by them. Let me help you, help yourself, by getting started with your own tool kit today. This 216 piece set is only $160 with free shipping. And if you already have a good set of tools, consider grabbing one of these kits anyways, to start a dedicated Jeep tool kit that is always ready to go. It’s the Craftsman VERSASTACK 3-Drawer Mechanics Tool Set, and it’s this week’s must-have pick of the week for your Jeep.

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

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