Episode 627 – Are Your Nuts Tight?

This Week In Jeep

In Case You Just Want To Be Different

One of the things that makes Jeeps so awesome is their ability to be customized to the Nth degree. A multi-billion-dollar-a-year industry sees to that. And we all want our Jeeps to be our own. Who can blame us? Well if being the one kid on the block that has the most different Jeep is the most important to you, then maybe you might want to consider grabbing a Right Hand Drive 2022 Wrangler. Yup, that’s right, you can buy a right-hand-drive Wrangler in the modern era. While this new Jeep SUV is made for the United States Postal Service and other delivery truck needs, it is possible to buy one. So, why is that? Jeep understands that some drivers require a 4×4 SUV that features the steering wheel on the opposite side that you would expect, but this Wrangler model does have its limits. First off, it is available “only” with the turbodiesel engine and only features the eight-speed automatic transmission. That’s it, no options. No V6, No 4xe. 

The only option you DO have, (and I haven’t been able to ascertain whether or not they just give this to you or it comes standard on the RHD variant,) is something called the cold-weather package. This package adds things like heated seats, a heated steering wheel, and a remote start. This means even when the temperature outside drops, you can still stay warm. Outside of that, this version of the Wrangler is fairly basic. It will still feature four doors and can come with a variety of paint options, but do not expect to get an RHD Wrangler with the latest tech features. Like NO U-Connect. Hell, I think my 99 XJ had a better stereo in it than what this thing comes with. If you were wondering why you would want to buy a Jeep Wrangler with a right-hand drive configuration, the answer is quite simple. You are probably someone who needs to deliver mail or various packages in a very rural area. This feature allows drivers to easily reach mailboxes without having to exit the vehicle or enter into traffic. Which is a callback to the iconic Jeep DJ mail truck. The United States Postal Service does not currently employ a fleet of Jeep mail trucks. While it did in the past, those Jeep DJ models were replaced by the Grumman LLV delivery vehicle. But for some rural mail carriers, the capability of a Jeep is still required. Hence why FCA still offers a right-hand-drive version of the Wrangler. Now, if you are looking to buy a new Jeep Wrangler and do not need to deliver packages, you probably should not buy this version of the Wrangler. The United States has an infrastructure that is based on driver’s steering from the left side. That said, it is still fun that Jeep builds an RHD Wrangler, and that average citizens can get one if they want.

Just  What The Hell Is Going On In Minnesota?

Searching around for news-worthy Jeep-related headlines I usually stumble across some stories that leave me shaking my head. Some I deem worthy enough to share with you, and others are honestly just pretty stupid. But when I see two, crazy unique stories coming out of the same area, I have to dig a little deeper. Which I did, and I still have no idea just what the hell is going on in Minnesota. A Springfield woman was injured when her Jeep struck a safe that fell from a vehicle in Cottonwood County. The state patrol says it happened on Highway 60 near County Road 44 in Bingham Lake at 7:44 a.m. Monday. A pickup driven by 36-year-old Cynthia Knutson of Bingham Lake turned from 44 onto Highway 60, and a safe fell out of the back of the truck and onto the highway. 20-year-old Mya Mickelson of Springfield was driving her Jeep westbound on 60 and hit the safe at speed. Mickelson was taken to the Windom Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Less than 50 miles straight north from there, a Redwood Falls man was shaken up after his Jeep hit some cows about 4 miles southeast of Redwood Falls. The sheriff’s department says 34-year-old Matthew Gehrke was traveling on County Road 1 near 300th Street at 11:31 last night when he hit 3 cows standing in the roadway. Gehrke was slightly injured and was checked out at the scene by ambulance staff. The Sheriff’s Office was unable to locate the owners of the cows.

It’s Even Uglier Than We Expected

I will be the first to admit that I’ve talked a lot of crap on this show over the decade-plus we’ve been doing it. I don’t pull punches. I give honest reviews, tell it like it is, and I haven’t ever given a rat bastard’s ass if your feelings get hurt in the process. Getting you the right information is more important to me than how it makes you feel. That said, it’s well known what my opinions are of Jeep going electric. Just last week in Episode 623, we learned just how NOT Jeep this Jeep is really going to be. This week, a new batch of spy shots has captured a compact crossover that will wear the Jeep badge when it debuts. The spy pics show the crossover wearing a full-body camouflage wrap, with the grille, headlights, and even the rear side windows covered. The crossover looks to have an odd stance with what appear to be larger wheels and tires in the rear, which are accentuated by the short overhangs. In other words, it just doesn’t work visually. The rear is just as covered like the front, with the taillights also hidden from view. This smaller-than-a-Renegade, bite-sized Jeep wannabe, will slot below the Renegade in Jeep’s lineup in both features and cost, which will likely limit its availability, and interest from people familiar with the brand. As we stated last week, this “jeep” will actually be based on a Peugeot-Citroen chassis, and feature absolutely no four or all-wheel drive availability of any kind in its current design. This week we also find there is an insult to injury. Jeep isn’t even building the damn things… Instead, they will make them in France, and these new micro-jeeps will roll off the assembly line in Poland alongside the upcoming Alfa Romeo Brennero and the Fiat 500X. The polish is making Jeeps now, what could possibly go wrong?!?! The only saving grace is that we may not see this poor excuse for a Jeep vehicle here in the US right away. With Jeep’s electrification plans ramping up in the UK, here in the US we’re not even close to being ready. So the production focus may be on the market in which they’re made, and won’t be imported here for a couple more years still. Or so we can hope.

Tech Talk with Jeep Talk

TOPIC/QUESTION: Torquing To Spec – And Why It’s Important

At one point in time, your Jeep was brand new, and when it rolled off the factory assembly line, every single nut and bolt of the steering, drivetrain, suspension, and, well, pretty much everywhere else, were torqued to a specific manufacturer’s specification. WHY this is important is because if the bolts were not tight enough they could fall out. If the bolts were over-tightened they could stretch, get stuck in the hole, snap, or pull the threads out. During routine maintenance and after doing any kind of modification to your steering, suspension, or drivetrain, all bolts and nuts should be checked to ensure that they have been tightened to specification. In fact, virtually every lift kit’s instructions tell you to recheck torque after driving 500 miles. A good example of WHEN you should make sure that you have all your Jeep’s fasteners torqued to spec, is after installing something like a lift kit. When a lift kit is installed, many components may need to be replaced or temporarily removed, upon reinstallation these parts must be properly torqued down. With the vibrations and impacts that Jeeps experience both on and off-road, improperly torqued bolts could easily be shaken loose and then run the risk of causing the component to fall off. Trust me, you don’t want something like your track bar bracket suddenly falling off the frame. Another great example of this (that is a bit more common) would be your wheels. The wheels on any Jeep need to be torqued to spec, and every Jeep is different.

For instance, from the Renix days of the Cherokees to the 97-01 XJ’s to the new Cherokee KL, they all have different torque specs for the wheels…. Which also happens to be something else you don’t want falling off the Jeep. So WHAT do you use to ensure that you’re torquing to spec and not just setting everything at the universal German-based form of measurement …”gutentight”…? You use something called a torque wrench, and it will be the most expensive socket wrench you’ve ever purchased. 

A torque wrench is a precision tool that is used to apply the correct amount of torque to the nut or bolt that is being tightened. There are several types of torque wrenches including a beam type, click type, digital, and dial type. HOW they work depends on the style that you have. They all have their own way of letting the user know how much torque is being applied to the fastener as it is being tightened down.

With the beam and dial gauge styles, there is a sweeping arrow or needle that points to a number. The harder you tighten something down, the more the needle moves to the higher numbers. For the click or digital versions, the user sets the tool to a specific number, usually measured in inch or foot-pounds, and when that amount of torque is applied, a click is both heard and felt, or in the case of the digital torque wrench, it beeps at you. Torque wrenches are pretty easy to use, are an invaluable tool in the garage, and a must-have necessity when working on the suspension or steering of any Jeep. They also all come with different price tags and learning curves. 

That being said, here’s the most important rule of thumb…

Any torque wrench is better than no torque wrench. 

So look in your local pawn shops, Facebook marketplace, garage sales, and even craigslist to find a good deal on a previously owned quality torque wrench. If all else fails, turn to the interwebs, or your local harbor freight. And in order to find the right  torque specifications for your Jeep you can look either in the factory service manual for your Jeep (you DO have an FSM for your Jeep don’t you?) Typically even Chilton and Haynes manuals will have a page or two dedicated to torque specs as well. But if not, there are multiple websites out there that have this information as well, just make sure you look at at least two different sources to verify that you have the right information. At the end of the day, torquing to spec may require a specialty tool like a torque wrench and of course more time to set and dial everything in. But it’s worth it in the long run. A less squeaky Jeep, bolts or studs that don’t break and that can be relied on, wheels that don’t fall off, and maintenance that goes more smoothly each and every time. 

Jeep Life – With Jeep Momma

Trail Rated 4×4 Badge

https://www.jeep.com/trail-rated.html

The Jeep brand is like no other out there. Jeep’s core values are freedom, adventure, authenticity, and passion. As Jeep owners throughout history, we have learned that Go Anywhere, Do Anything is more than just a slogan – for Jeepers it’s our way of life. I have embraced that way of life and it has changed me. I have experienced amazing adventures, met some of the greatest people who are now my lifelong friends, and found my passion in all things Jeep. Those core values are a reflection of myself and so many Jeepers around the world. Some are lucky enough to discover Jeep early in their life. It’s a connection like no other. The Jeep Brand has embodied those four core values into the DNA of Every Jeep they make. Not just the Wranglers and their predecessors but the Compass, Cherokee, Grand Cherokee, the Renegade and so many more. The one thing that ties all those Jeeps together is the Trail Rated Badge and we need to appreciate ALL of those Jeeps because they all are so capable and unique in their own ways. Sometimes people joke about the badge, and you need to realize it’s not just a badge they stick on the Jeep. It is earned. Every Jeep vehicle with that Trail Rated 4×4 badge has succeeded against a series of grueling tests in five categories: Traction,

Water Fording, Maneuverability, Articulation, and Ground Clearance. Jeep says Trail-Rated is a methodology a guarantee and a recognized standard for a proven off-road capability that Jeep 4×4 vehicles must meet. Trail Rated is an industry-leading methodology initially established by the Nevada Automotive Test Center (NATC) and Jeep Engineering to objectively measure off-road performance for all Jeep vehicles. First, the testing begins at Jeeps US Headquarters where the Jeeps endure the bitter angry cold weather in Northern Michigan. then it’s out to some of the most challenging terrains on earth. The Rubicon Trail is located high in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, the Rubicon Trail is 22 miles of incredible rocky, grueling beautiful landscape. It’s a natural off-road adventure park populated by massive rocks and unforgiving boulders. Weather and constant use mean the trail is always changing to provide new challenges for vehicles hoping to be Trail Rated®.

Jeep says, pushing our vehicles as far as they can go is part of the Jeep Brand DNA.” They strive for groundbreaking capability so we as Jeep owners can pursue our exhilarating adventures. Jeep says their vehicles will continue to be tested to battle everything you may encounter.

There are consistent and reliable measurements of off-road performance that include a combination of natural and controlled field tests on demanding terrain, as well as computer-simulated evaluation tests.

If a Jeep vehicle is affixed with the trail-rated badge you know it has passed the test in five performance categories. Traction that tells you, that vehicle is capable of conquering some of the toughest terrains in mud, sand, and rocks. Water Fording features additional electrical and body sealing along with a high air intake to help you navigate streams and flooded underpasses. Maneuverability means that Jeep is capable to navigate narrow gaps, dodge emergency situations and avoid cosmetic damage thanks to precision steering and optimized wheelbases, which allow for expert navigation. Articulation means those trail-rated suspensions enhance off-road performance maximizing flexibility, axle articulation, and wheel travel. And Ground Clearance is more than just the area under your Jeep when you drive over obstacles; it also includes the approach, break-over, and departure angles to ensure the vehicle can clear logs, rocks, and uneven ground.

So remember the next time you see that trail-rated 4×4 badge on your Jeep or other Jeeps know it’s not just a badge it’s a lot more! Jeep says they don’t make Jeep. We do. Revel in all things Jeep… that unstoppable spirit that makes our Jeep community and our Jeep experience what it means to live the Jeep life. You can head over to the Jeep website for all kinds of cool Jeep information on the Trail-Rated 4×4 badge and more on all the 4×4 Jeep things!
https://www.jeep.com/trail-rated.html

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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